Returning
by Winthrop1888
Summary: When Benjamin and Caleb left Setauket to join the Continental Army, they left behind dear friends and family members. Everyone knows about Abraham and Anna, but what of the girl Ben fell in love with, who is also Caleb's cousin? How will she fair in this war? Join Ben, Caleb and Elizabeth Brewster as they fight to stay strong in such a hard time.
1. Chapter 1

Hello people of fanfiction, this is my first time publishing anything and it's kind of scary for me. That being said, please review! Even if you don't like the story or something in it, let me know why. It's going to be about a 20 Chapter story so it's long but I really enjoyed writing it!

This is the story of Ben's love interest (because doesn't that boy deserve one?). It has a central plot but much of the character development is done in flashbacks which are indicated by italics. So please don't be confused by them. Also, I tried not to use actual scenes from the show as much as possible because I think rewriting them is a waste of time so on the occasions that I do, they aren't meant to be exact replicas of what happened.

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: This story follows the show as much as possible but inevitably some things were changed. There are some suggestive themes in this and some abuse later in the story. Obviously if this is something you are uncomfortable with, I totally understand so read at your own discresion. I'm also aware that Caleb doesn't have a cousin but he does have a sister so I revamped the unknown sister into this character. Finally, I don't own TURN or any of the characters (though I'd love to marry Seth Numrich if that could be possible). So without further ado, here is the first chapter.

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"Abraham is going to love seeing you in this dress!" Elizabeth Brewster exclaimed. It was the night of the big Setauket Summer Ball and all the town was preparing for the celebration. She helped tuck a stray hair back into her best friend Anna Smith's braid while Anna admired her forest green dress in the mirror. It was made of expensive looking satin in a similar silhouette to Elizabeth's.

"And Ben is going to adore this!" Anna gestured to Elizabeth's purple gown. It was full bodied but made her waist look exceptionally small, as was the style.

"Oh, Anna, you know that Ben and I are just good friends. He and Caleb are practically brothers," Elizabeth refuted laughing when she thought of how close her cousin Caleb Brewster and her good friend Benjamin Tallmadge were. "Besides, I'm not the one who's engaged!" Anna blushed deeply and hushed Elizabeth.

"You know his father is never going to allow it. Judge Woodhull has never been too keen on the political beliefs of my family." Elizabeth nodded. What the Judge didn't know was that the political beliefs that the Judge was so against was actually something all five of them had in common, even his son Abraham.

"Sometimes I'm amazed that the Judge even lets Abraham out of the house," Elizabeth remarked. "Come on, we're going to be late." Anna nodded and the girls headed down the stairs and out of the Smith house to meet the rest of their friends.

Benjamin Tallmadge was standing with his friends Caleb Brewster and Abraham Woodhull in the Brewster house waiting for the girls to join them. Ben leafed through the pages of his book. It was a gift from his brother Samuel about American Independence. He was rather fond of it and kept it on his person at all times. Abraham was pacing back and forth waiting for Anna to arrive.

"Oh, Woody," Caleb spoke up, "would ya stop all the fidgetin'?" Ben had to laugh a little but he was suffering from a bought of butterflies in his own stomach. He was just letting his thoughts wander to his friend Caleb's cousin when there was a knock on the door. Ben stuffed the book into his coat pocket. Caleb turned to open it but Abraham beat him there.

"Anna!" Abraham exclaimed breathlessly causing all of his friends to laugh, even Anna. Abraham pulled her in by the waist and kissed her firmly.

"Come on you love birds!" Elizabeth said being blocked out of the house by the kissing couple. "We have a party to go to!" Finally Anna and Abraham broke apart and moved from the doorway. Ben, now able to see Elizabeth, found himself unable to breathe.

"My, don't you look beautiful," Caleb commented as he jokingly curtsied. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and stepped into the house. Ben nodded fiercely and everyone started laughing again. Elizabeth was flattered by his gaze and secretly relished in the idea that he might entertain some romantic feelings for her.

Made slightly uncomfortable by the two pairs of lovers or almost lovers, Caleb spoke up and suggested that they head out to go to the Ball. They all agreed and left the house.

They arrived at the Ball when it was already in full swing. People all around were dancing and Anna and Abe ran to join in the merriment.

"Shall we?" Ben asked Elizabeth offering her an arm. Smiling she took it and they joined the party.

They danced a long while together; laughing and enjoying each other's company. They had been close all of their lives and in each other's arms, they both felt quite at home. The song they were enjoying ended and Elizabeth begged a song's respite as her feet were starting to hurt. Ben chuckled in agreement and walked with her to go find the rest of their friends.

When they found Anna and Abe, they were also sitting down, resting from the endless dancing. Before Elizabeth had the opportunity to wonder after her cousin, Caleb came running up to them. The expression on his face startled them.

"They're here," Caleb said out of breath.

"Who?" Abe asked his friend.

"The redcoats," he replied, "there's a storm of 'em out there." The five friends exchanged uneasy glances.

"I think, perhaps, it's time to leave," Elizabeth offered and they turned to go. They were stopped by the voice of a redcoat bellowing over the crowd.


	2. Chapter 2

"May I have your attention please," a tall redcoat announced. "My name is Major Hewlett. We mean you no discourse here in Setauket. I apologize that this announcement must come at such an inopportune time; however, this land is to be commandeered by his Majesty, King George III. You will be allowed to remain in your homes. We only wish to live among you and though some of the men will need use of your homes for lodging, we hope to leave you all in peace."

Hewlett's announcement sent a nervous murmur among the crowd of partygoers. Ben looked at Elizabeth with unease. She knew what he was thinking. The coming of the redcoats only spelled trouble and with his brother Sam already a Continental, it was only a matter of time before suspicion was raised. Suddenly another redcoat spoke up to the throngs of citizens recapturing Ben and his companions' attention.

"To ensure that no traitors are among us, we ask that each of the men present here tonight submit to a search of their persons."

Once again Ben caught the gaze of Elizabeth. His face now showed fear as he remembered the book on independence that he had on his person. Elizabeth silently read his expression and quickly an idea formed. She looked into Ben's eyes, pleading with him to trust her as she took his hand and turned to lead him away from the front of the ballroom. On her way to the rear corridor, she paused only a moment to whisper to Anna not to worry and where to meet them when they got out.

When they reached the corridor, Elizabeth pressed her back up against the wall and pulled Ben into her. His arms instinctively wrapped themselves around her waist. Ben swallowed shallowly in this compromising position. Try as he may not to, he had often wondered what it would feel like to hold Elizabeth this way; intimately like lovers. He had loved her for as long as he could remember but he never imagined a moment like this.

"Kiss me," she whispered softly in his ear. The feeling of her breath in his ear sent shivers down his spine and he pulled away from her slightly out of decency and surprise.

"What?" he asked. "Now?" he added so that she wouldn't think that he didn't want to kiss her. She pulled him back into her embrace. She whispered once again into his ear.

"Men are made uncomfortable by seeing intimacy. They will overlook us." Before Ben could respond, voices could be heard nearby. Quickly Ben cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips to hers.

Neither Ben nor Elizabeth was prepared for the sheer bliss that followed such simple contact. As Ben moved his lips against hers, he felt as if he were floating. He pulled desperately at Elizabeth trying almost to combine their bodies together. They both tried to be as silent as possible but any self-control either of them had was lost when they finally gave into each other. As Elizabeth felt her knees go weak and give out, Ben picked her up and held her against the wall. Elizabeth tried to stifle a moan in Ben's mouth when a strong hand pulled them apart.

Two redcoats laughed outwardly in spite of themselves at the two lovers, red faced and out of breath.

"I'm sorry kids, but orders are orders," one of them said still fighting to keep his laughter under control. Ben stiffened immediately as he remembered once again the book that would surely mean his death when it was discovered. He felt Elizabeth take his hand and squeeze it reassuringly.

"Please, sir, go ahead," she said in an even tone. "We've nothing to hide." Ben and Elizabeth shared a quick glance between them. Ben let terror flash across his features while Elizabeth only held his gaze calmly.

"Excuse me ma'am," the other officer said as he stepped beside Ben. The officer checked every pocket on Ben's person and patted him down thoroughly but found nothing on him. The officers nodded to each other and moved on. Ben looked incredulously at Elizabeth. She slipped a hand into his shaking one and pulled him into the warm night air. They walked silently for a time, hand in hand, until suddenly Ben stopped, pulling Elizabeth to look at him.

"How-" he started but swallowed his words when out of her petticoat, Elizabeth drew the book she had been concealing. He laughed in spite of himself.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't have enough time to explain. I just figured that I they wouldn't search me like they would search you." Ben suddenly looked crestfallen.

"So that was your plan all along then," he said trying not to sound disappointed, "to sneak the book off of me."

"No," she responded sheepishly. "It was more of an afterthought when I realized that they might still pull us apart." Light returned to his face at those words and he smiled at her in spite of himself. _There's still hope,_ he thought breathlessly.

Deciding to try his luck, he pulled her to him and kissed her squarely on the mouth. Immediately she wound her hands into his long hair as he pulled her waist up against him. They returned to their earlier euphoria until they both needed to breathe again. They stared at each other panting loudly for a few more moments.

"We should head to the dock," Elizabeth said to him then. "Abraham, Caleb and Anna should be there by now." Ben's look of confusion did not go unnoticed by her but she pulled him wordlessly along until they reached their friends.

"Benny Boy!" Caleb exclaimed once they reached the dock. "Looks like my cousin got you out alive." Ben blushed deeply thinking about just how Elizabeth got them both out from under the thumb of the redcoats.

"Thank goodness," Anna breathed hugging Elizabeth before retaking her seat next to Abraham. Elizabeth and Ben sat down as well and Elizabeth leaned slightly towards Ben, comforted by the warmth that radiated off of him.

"How about that for the end of summer party?" Caleb asked incredulously. Ben and Abraham nodded silently. This certainly wasn't the way they wanted to leave Setauket; with redcoats taking over their home. But Abraham knew that he must return to King's College if he had any hopes of pursuing the law. And Ben had intentions of returning to Yale to further his own education.

"Well, I for one ain't gonna let them lobsters take my hometown!" Caleb exclaimed. He made a move to get up but Elizabeth moved to grab his arm. She pulled her cousin back down. Ben felt her absence quickly and almost wished she hadn't moved.

"Don't be rash, Caleb," she scolded. "For the time being, they mean us no harm. Why should we let this worry us? Tonight we need to return to our beds and let sleep calm our thoughts. We all hold the same opinions on this war but broadcasting them to the whole of Setauket is only going to get us arrested, or worse, killed."

"Elizabeth is right," Abraham said. "We need to settle down and worry about this tomorrow. It's been a long day." As the rest of the group nodded their compliance, Abraham stood up and offered a hand to help up his secret fiancé. Ben and Caleb followed suit and offered the same courtesy to Elizabeth. Looking both men square in the eyes, she waved them off and stood up on her own.

The group walked in silence until Abraham and Anna broke off down their own path leaving Caleb, Elizabeth and Ben. Sometime later, Elizabeth stopped and turned to face Ben.

"We can talk everything out tomorrow," she assured him looking deeply into his eyes to gauge his response. He only smiled in return and placed a light kiss to her forehead.

Caleb smiled knowingly from a few paces off though he made no comment or sound. He only turned around and accompanied Elizabeth back to their house after she parted ways with the young Benjamin Tallmadge.


	3. Chapter 3

Ben arrived at the Brewster home early the next morning. He felt a familiar fluttering in his stomach which intensified when the beautiful woman in his thoughts opened the door to allow him entry. She smiled warmly at him. Her long, curly brown hair cascaded around her shoulders since she hadn't yet had the time to pin it up.

"Benny Boy, what are you doing here?" Caleb greeted his friend and ushered him into the parlor. The Brewster house wasn't a large house nor was it extravagant by any means but Ben had always liked that about it. The air grew thick with tension as Ben remembered why he had made such haste to arrive at dawn.

"I have news," he said gravely making both Caleb and Elizabeth turn to look at him. "Perhaps you should wait in the other room," he addressed Elizabeth. "This is not meant for delicate ears." Elizabeth met his eyes with a steely gaze.

"What good would it do?" she asked in response. "I'll only listen from the doorway." Caleb couldn't stifle the chuckle that erupted from him.

"Well she is my cousin, now ain't she?" Ben smirked slightly as well and nodded turning to the both of them standing in the living room.

"They are requesting that all able bodied men in Setauket that do not have wives or farms to tend to enlist in his Majesty's Militia." A look of understanding passed between Caleb and Ben. Elizabeth knew as well that both men were now to be enlisted in a cause they hated.

"How long do you have?" Elizabeth asked.

"Until noon tomorrow," Ben answered unable to look at her.

"Then you must go," Elizabeth said plainly. Now both men were looking at her as if she had lost her mind. She ignored their looks and continued. "There is a camp of Continentals across the bay at Frog's Point. I'm sure they will be happy for more recruits. You should leave this evening under cover of night."

Having said this, she hastily turned away from them and left the room. She told herself that she was going upstairs to pack Caleb's things but in reality, but she knew that she just couldn't bear looking at Ben.

"Blimey," Caleb swore under his breath. "Elizabeth is right. We ain't really got a choice do we?"

"No, I suppose not," Ben responded looking off in the direction that Elizabeth had gone.

"Go talk to her," Caleb prompted and Ben nodded as he raced up the damp, wooden stairs.

Elizabeth stood in the doorway of Caleb's bedroom staring into his room as if he were already gone. She was leaning against the door post with her arms folded across her chest. Ben tried but couldn't find anything to say to her. He was leaving just a day after they had finally realized their feelings for one another.

"You have to go," she whispered almost inaudibly. "You can't stay here and you certainly can't join the Royal Army."

"Elizabeth," he started taking his hand and resting it on her arm. He continued to move toward her and before he had time to think better of it, he had pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms firmly around her frame. He pulled back enough to take her face in his hands. He kissed her forehead several times before he spoke again. "I don't have to go. I don't have to leave you." Ben kissed her cheeks next and forehead again. She finally wrapped her own arms around Ben's waist.

"No," she said as she pulled away to look into his face. "I will not see you fight for the enemy." She reached up to softly place her hands on his face. "I love you, Benjamin Tallmadge. I suspect I have all my life."

Ben looked surprised only for a moment before he pulled her to him again and kissed her passionately. Once again they found themselves pressed up against a wall pulling at each other, trying to occupy the same space, the same air. His tongue flicked across her lips and she gasped slightly, allowing his tongue to enter into her mouth. Strongly and possessively he kissed her until both of their lungs burned for oxygen.

They pulled apart and he rested his forehead against hers. They stood for a few seconds breathing the same air.

"I love you, Elizabeth Brewster, more than you know," he whispered.

"Then it's settled," she said to him. "You must leave tonight; join the Continentals and fight. Win this war." She stroked his face. "I will wait for you as long as I can." She kissed him softly. "I love you and when this war is over, I will see you again." She kissed him more soundly this time but only lingered a short time before nuzzling her head into his neck. He hugged her to him again.

"There will not be a day when I do not think of you," he whispered. "My Love," he added smiling at how easy it was for him to call her that. Tears glistened in Elizabeth's eyes and she willed them not to fall. She finally pulled from his embrace and headed back downstairs to return to Caleb. To her relief, Caleb said nothing of the prolonged absence of both herself and Ben.

"We need to come up with a plan," she said to them both.

"And tell Abraham and Anna," Caleb added.

"No," she refuted. "They cannot know about this. Neither can my father nor the Reverend. When you two leave, they will question any known acquaintances. They will want to know how long you two have been traitors and such things. It will be extensive and so the less they know, the better." Ben looked astonished. He hadn't thought of what would happen after they left. He shuddered to think what Elizabeth would go through when they turned tail and escaped. Caleb only nodded.

"Tonight, we will have to steal a boat from the docks. We can meet there at midnight," Ben offered.

"No, it'd be too suspicious. Suppose someone'd see ya sneakin' out," Caleb replied. "This house is much closer to the dock and with my uncle being gone, we can even shack you up for the night." Now it was Ben's turn to nod.

"I will set three places for supper then," Elizabeth decided. "Tell your father what you must and meet us here. Then we can wait until dusk for you to set out. It will give you plenty of time until they look to enroll you tomorrow." Ben looked to her.

"What about you, then? Surely they will think that you were a part of this."

"You just leave that to me," she responded confidently. Though she did not yet know what she would say, Caleb and Ben's lives were in her hands and she knew that she had to be good to escape the redcoats' notice.

Dinner that night was a quiet one, though the Brewsters had a guest for the first time since Lukas had left for a few days respite. Elizabeth pondered for a moment how her father might take Caleb's desertion. Caleb thought a similar thing though he knew that his uncle would be in good hands with Elizabeth.

Ben could only think about Elizabeth. He observed her, lost in thought. To anyone else she would have appeared to be eating delicately but Ben knew her better and knew that she wasn't actually eating at all. He wished he could soothe her worries but it would be impossible to soothe her worries when he had so many of his own.

After dinner, Elizabeth escorted Ben to the guest room. It was small and dark but they both knew that no one would be sleeping tonight. As they were making the bed, Caleb came in to wish them a good night. The plan was to head towards the docks when night was its darkest, which would be at midnight. For the next few hours; however, there was nothing to do but wait.

Elizabeth smoothed out the last corner of the sheets and turned to leave but Ben caught her arm. He could no longer handle her silence or her worried looks. He wanted to see her smile at least one more time before he left.

So he took her small face in his warm hands and kissed her forehead. She covered his hands with her own and closed her eyes. He next kissed her cheeks and her eyes. He kissed her nose and along her jawline before he finally pressed his lips to hers. It wasn't heavy or forceful; instead it was soft and gentle. He took his time savoring the taste of her and the feeling of her skin in his hands.

He slowly backed her up until they fell onto the freshly made bed. Without ceasing in their kisses, they arranged themselves with him lying almost completely on top of her.

He stopped kissing her and used the arm he wasn't using to prop himself up and pulled her waist even closer to him. He knew where all of his thoughts were leading him. He worried this was too much for Elizabeth.

"Maybe we should stop," he suggested breathlessly running his hand through her hair. She looked back at him without hesitation.

"We don't have to," she whispered suggestively. She nimbly loosened the buttons on his vest and the tie around his neck.

"Are you sure?" Ben asked a final time. He didn't want his anticipation to show.

"Yes," Elizabeth whispered as she reconnected their lips.

They laid for what seemed like hours afterward next to each other beneath the sheets on the guest bed. Ben drew his hand up and down her naked form, staring at her face all the while. His heart swelled to see her lying in his arms, at peace with her eyes closed and a content smile on her face. He stopped his hand to cup her face in it. Her eyes opened and she looked him in the eyes lovingly.

"How much longer do we have?" she asked as she stretched and placed her own hand to his face. She lay back down and Ben rolled back on top of her, bracing his weight on his elbows. He leaned down and kissed her sweetly.

Then there were three knocks on the door. It was Caleb come to get Ben. Elizabeth's smile faltered slightly and Ben kissed her one last time before getting up. He quickly dressed and headed out to meet Caleb. Elizabeth dressed and followed only a minute behind, careful to conceal where she had come from.

At the door Caleb stopped and turned to his cousin. She might as well have been his sister for they had lived together under his uncle's roof even before his parents had died.

"I guess this is good-bye," he said to Elizabeth. She flung her arms around him and held him fast.

"Not for long," she whispered, "and stay safe".

"Are ya kiddin'?" Caleb asked looking at her. "I have to keep this skinny bastard from getting 'imself killed!" Elizabeth smiled but could not bring herself to laugh at her cousin's jest.

She turned then to look at Ben. He looked to be analyzing her every movement, trying to memorize her very essence. She kissed him soundly and, phased as he was with her forwardness, he pulled her close and relished their last few seconds together.

Elizabeth stepped back and away from the two men soon to be continentals. She willed herself not to cry as she watched them sneak away into the night. Once they were out of sight, she closed the door and wept bitterly, praying that above all else, they be returned to her safely.


	4. Chapter 4

Caleb and Ben arrived at Frog's Point around three in the morning. As Elizabeth had mentioned, a brigade of Continentals was camped in the embankment. Unsure of what to do next, Ben took a step forward before an arm reached around and grabbed him from behind. He tried to struggle but a knife was placed to his throat and he knew he had no choice.

They were brought to a General Scott's tent. By the worn and confused looks on the faces of the two men, the General knew they were of no threat to the camp.

"Your names, boys," he demanded firmly. Ben spoke up confidently.

"Mine is Benjamin Tallmadge and this is my friend, Caleb Brewster. We are here to enlist, sir." The General nodded as he took down their names.

"Have either of you ever been in a war?" he asked, eyeing them warily.

"No, sir," Ben replied.

"Well you both seem a little green but I suppose that if your hearts are in the cause-" the General started.

"Oh, mine is," assured Caleb. "Imma get me a lot of redcoats." Ben sighed at his friend. His heart was in the right place but sometimes his mouth wasn't.

"Uh-huh," the General murmured. "Well, lucky for the two of you, we have an extra tent pitched on the left side of camp. You happened to have stumbled upon the scouting regiment of the Continental Army. We intercept dispatches and bring them to the Commander and Chief. But we can cover more of that tomorrow. You two look as if you haven't slept in days. Get some rest."

"Yes, sir," Ben saluted as he had seen other soldiers do and headed in the direction that the General had pointed with Caleb in tow.

"You talk to him like he's your father," Caleb observed.

"No," Ben responded curtly, "I speak to him as if he is our superior, who he is."

"Well, I ain't one for the 'yessir'in and the 'nosir'in."

"Well I suggest you learn," Ben finished the conversation before Caleb had an opportunity to object.

They found the tent rather easily. It was pretty far from the central tent but it was shelter and Ben knew that this was the best it would get.

Caleb, on the other hand, was invigorated by the experience. He had always loved the outdoors and if he was honest, the tent wasn't must worse than the Brewster home in Setauket. That house was hardly fit for anyone let alone a lady like Elizabeth. The only thing he wished was that he could have found a more suitable place for her to live but with Lukas being so sick, they hardly had the time to think about renovation. He began to think about the things he had left behind.

_When Caleb's parents had become ill, he had moved in with his uncle, aunt and cousin. He was only ten years old at the time and instantly felt abandoned by his parents. He had spent a fair amount of time with his extended family but he still felt displaced as he dragged his things over to the small house by the orchard._

_When he knocked on the door, his cousin answered. He hadn't spent a lot of time with Elizabeth but he knew that she was a fairly amiable person._

_"__Caleb!" she exclaimed upon seeing him. "You're here!" Caleb was taken aback by how excited she seemed to see him. She quickly reached down to pick up one of his bags and ushered him into the house. "Father made sure the upstairs bedroom was all in order yesterday so we can go ahead up there now." Caleb nodded and followed her._

_When they came to the room, she set the bag on his new bed. It was a small room but caleb never really needed anything fancy. Sometimes, he would rather sleep outside._

_'__I'm sorry it's not bigger but we have a pretty small house here," she noted aloud._

_"__It's perfect," Caleb replied assuring her._

_"__You know," she told him, "if you ever need to talk, I'm right down the hall." He smiled at her._

_"__I may just take you up on that sometime," he answered. Elizabeth's face seemed to brighten up._

_"__Good," she said. "Now come on, I want to show you the orchard." She grabbed his hand and led him back down the stairs and out to the orchard. They walked along the endless rows of trees and she showed him the large meadow in the middle. _

_Caleb was amazed by her passion for the orchard. He could tell this was her home away from home and he began to see how this could become his home too. Suddenly he realized that sending him to his aunt and uncle's was just as much about him finding a good home as it was staying with relatives. _

_Finally, she brought him to the creek in the far corner._

_"__This is where I usually go when it gets really warm outside," she informed him. "It's one of my favorite places." Caleb nodded and kicked a rock into the stream. Elizabeth did the same thing before stopping and looking at him._

_"__I know you don't want to be here," she started but Caleb cut her off. _

_"__It's okay, really, I could learn to love this place," he replied._

_"__I do hope so, but even if you don't, do you see that house over there?" she asked as she pointed over the creek and through the last row of trees. Caleb could just barely make out a fairly nearby residence so he nodded._

_"__That's your house so if you are ever feeling homesick, you can always go visit and still be here." She beamed at him. Caleb looked surprised for a moment and then hugged his cousin. He had never noticed how close he lived to the Brewster orchard._

_"__Thank you," he said._

_"__Of course," she replied. "Now let's get back, supper should be almost ready." He smiled and nodded and the two children ran back to the house hungry for dinner._

Thinking of his home and his cousin made him nostalgic and Ben saw the disconcerted look on Caleb's face.

"I miss her too," he tried to reassure his friend.

"I'm thinkin' of Abe and Annie too," Caleb replied sadly. Ben nodded and rolled onto his back. He looked toward the sky and thought about what all they had just done. They had left everyone they knew behind and ran to the aid of the only cause that could set their friends and families free. It was a lot to handle.

He closed his eyes and tried to remember what had transpired between Elizabeth and himself only hours ago. He could feel the soft skin of her shoulder against his lips. He fell asleep that night hearing the soft whisper of his name over and over again.


	5. Chapter 5

Elizabeth had also fallen asleep thinking of Ben but awoke alone. She sighed involuntarily and got up to face the day. Light was shining in through the window and she knew that by now, Reverend Tallmadge had noted his son's absence and the British officers would be looking for Caleb too.

There was a soft knock on the door and Elizabeth took a deep breath before opening it. She prepared to face a redcoat but instead it was Lukas.

"Father!" she exclaimed, hugging him. Lukas shakily received her embrace and moved into the house. "I trust your trip went well."

"Yes it did, in fact," he stammered as he made his way to his chair. Elizabeth reached out to help him. "Where is Caleb?" he asked. It took everything inside of Elizabeth not to cry or to give any indication of what she was thinking.

"I haven't a clue," she replied. There was another knock on the door, though this one was more forceful.

"In the name of His Majesty King George III, I order you to open this door," came a voice from outside.

"The King?" Lukas whispered confused. He made a move to get up but Elizabeth stopped him and headed for the door. Drawing in a deep breath, she unlatched the door for a second time to allow the redcoats entrance.

"Good morning," one of them said as three officers barged into the small home. "We are here to collect Caleb Brewster."

"I haven't seen him since I retired to bed last night," Elizabeth answered.

"And what about you, old man?" another officer with beady eyes asked Lukas.

"Please sir, my father is afflicted with palsy and just arrived back in town this morning," Elizabeth pleaded.

"That doesn't mean that he doesn't know where Mr. Brewster is," the officer insisted turning and advancing on Elizabeth.

"Lieutenant Simcoe," the first officer warned. Simcoe eyed Elizabeth up and down until his gaze became uncomfortable.

"Let Mr. Brewster know that he is expected to report to the church as soon as he is able," Simcoe sneered.

"The church?" Elizabeth asked astonished and confused.

"Yes," Simcoe seemed to smirk wider. "It will serve as our new headquarters. As soon as we take out the pulpit and the pews." Elizabeth immediately thought of the Reverend and then of his sons now both serving the Continentals. She made a mental note to go visit him as soon as she could.

"I will pass along the message," she said to the redcoats as they left. Once the door was shut, she turned back to her father.

"I was only gone a few days," Lukas muttered to himself.

"They came two nights ago during the Ball," Elizabeth whispered to him taking his hands in hers. "It was quick and no one saw it coming."

"And Caleb?" Lukas asked, worried for his nephew.

"I don't know," she lied. She said a quick, silent prayer that they had gotten to Frog's Point safely. "I'm going to visit the Reverend," she told her father to which he only nodded in response.

She latched the door behind her as she left and hurried down the lane to the home of the Tallmadges. It was a quaint home but it was still a large amount nicer than her own. She knocked on the door trying desperately not to sound upset though she felt suddenly as if she were drowning. The Reverend opened the door cautiously but when he saw the young girl, he pushed the door the rest of the way quickly and let her in.

"What can I do for you?" Reverend Tallmadge asked and he offered her a seat. He sat down in the chair across from her and leaned forward to look at her squarely.

"I just came to see if what the officers said was true," Elizabeth answered honestly. "That they really took over our church."

"I'm afraid it is so, my dear," the Reverend said sadly. "I know how much you enjoyed going to church."

"I liked having somewhere to go where I felt at peace," she admitted softly. She didn't dare say aloud that it was one of the few places she could see Ben once she had left school to care for her mother and father, though she suspected that he already knew that. However, he only nodded sadly.

"And my son, Benjamin, where is he? The officers were here looking for him." Elizabeth averted his gaze. Lying to her sick father was one thing but lying to the Reverend, to Ben's father, was a much different story. "At least tell me if he's alright," he pleaded. A tear fell down Elizabeth's cheek when she thought of Ben.

"I-I don't know," she managed to squeak out.

"He loved you, too, you know," he whispered softly in an attempt to calm her. Their relationship had changed drastically in the last twenty four hours, but somehow the Reverend already knew. He took one of her hands and squeezed it as she nodded wordlessly. "Did you know that he was going to leave with Samuel?" he asked.

"No," she responded. She knew that he was always a loyal Patriot at heart but when Sam had left, Ben told her that he needed to finish his studies first. That spring he had graduated from Yale.

"Ben had all his bags packed too, but that Sunday he changed his mind. Said there were people who still needed him here." His words sparked a sudden realization in Elizabeth.

"He stayed for me," she said more to herself than to the Reverend. She remembered that day too well.

_It was the day of her mother's funeral. It was April and the war was just starting. She hadn't wanted anyone to see her cry so she left the service early, sneaking out the back, and sat by the tombstones of her aunt and uncle, Caleb's parents. _

_She had stared at them for only a few minutes when someone else had sat down next to her. Ben had put his arm around her and pulled her into him. She cried for a time with her head on his chest before looking him square in the face._

_"__Are you feeling better now?" he had asked brushing his hand gently against her face. He didn't ask if she was okay or what was wrong, he asked if she felt better. Thinking back on it, she was sure that this is when she realized she was in love with him but he had always loved school first and God second so she had banished whatever feelings she had and accepted that the man holding her was her best and longest friend. _

_"__Yes," she had replied. "Thank you." A few seconds later they had gotten up and walked back into the church together. They stood in the back, Elizabeth in front of him and his arms wrapped around her offering what support he could offer her. She was amazed at how this contact could make her feel so safe and comfortable. The next day Sam was gone._

Ben's father nodded and smiled at her. "I suppose maybe I should thank you for keeping him here for so long," he said. "I hope you know that you are just as much a daughter to me as Ben is a son." Elizabeth kept silent though she understood his meaning. She raised her head to speak when another knock was heard at the door. Elizabeth was growing weary of hearing knocking at the door.

When the Reverend opened the door, it was Simcoe and two other officers standing there.

"Were you not here already?" he asked the redcoats who pushed him aside as they entered the house. The two men started searching the room for some unknown object while Simcoe headed straight for Elizabeth.

"I'm afraid, Ms. Brewster, that you must come with me," Simcoe insisted as he forcefully grabbed her left arm and led her out of the Tallmadge home. She could hear the Reverend objecting but she had anticipated this all along.


	6. Chapter 6

Ben and Caleb were out scouting when one of their fellow dragoons, Andrew, returned clutching a package to his chest as he rode furiously into camp. He looked fairly shaken up and never even acknowledged their presence.

It had been a little over a month since the two men had joined the Continentals. Although neither had much war experience they proved to be excellent scouts and quite handy with rifles. The general had just mentioned the previous day that a promotion in rank might be in order for the both of them.

Seeing Andrew in such a rush gave them the indication that something important had just occurred so they quickly finished their round and made haste back toward camp.

They hadn't even stepped two feet into camp when another soldier named Tyler approached them.

"The General requests your presences," he said. "He said it was urgent." Caleb and Ben exchanged a worried glance before taking off toward the central tent.

Once they were inside, General Scott instructed them to sit down and requested that the rest of the men leave them to talk in private. Ben gulped silently and searched his mind for anything they could have done wrong.

"When Andrew was out scouting today, he came upon a dispatch rider for the Royal Army," Scott began. "The rider was carrying this." He laid a thick packet of papers on the table in front of them. Both Ben and Caleb recognized it as the package that Andrew was clutching as he rode past them earlier that day.

"It's from a Major Hewlett in Setauket, Long Island," the General continued. Ben stiffened at the name.

"And what does this have to do with us?" Ben inquired cautiously.

"As I recall, you boys hail from Setauket," Scott answered. "And the papers outline the British's actions there along with a few interrogations of some people you may know." Caleb glanced unevenly at Ben wondering if his friend was thinking the same thing that he was.

"I want you boys to read through the papers," the General continued. "You know that town better than anyone here and will know if their occupation in Setauket poses a direct threat to our station here."

"And how exactly did Andrew come upon these papers?" Caleb asked. The General chuckled to himself.

"Let's just say Washington has one less redcoat to worry about," he said with a wink. Ben and Caleb nodded and, collecting the dispatches, headed to their tent. They tried to ignore the curious faces of their comrades as they passed by.

Once in their tent, Ben lit a lamp and opened the first letter. It detailed how the church had been converted to a stable and a pulpit for the Major Hewlett. As he read about how his father's church had been desecrated, he clutched the paper and muttered under his breath. One day, these redcoats would pay.

Caleb found a page outlining the quartering assignments. A Captain Joyce was to be given quarters on the Strong estate. Caleb remembered growing up with Silas and laughed because he was probably the strongest Patriot in Setauket. That surely would not end well for the Captain. He read about a few others until he saw, at the bottom of the page, a final assignment making his blood boil.

"Mr. Johnathan Brooks of his Majesty's army is to be quartered in the home of a Mr. Lukas Brewster and his daughter Ms. Elizabeth Brewster. Special care is to be taken as this is the home of a confirmed Patriot," it read.

Looking up almost simultaneously, the two men exchanged angry glances and switched papers. Things looked unfortunately bleak for their home town.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," Ben told his friend honestly. Caleb nodded and reached for another dispatch. Upon reading the title, he almost dropped it. Ben noticed the sudden rigidity in his friend.

"What is it?" he asked. Caleb shakily turned the paper so that Ben could see. Across the top of the page was scrawled: _The Interrogation of One Ms. Elizabeth Brewster._

Ben immediately stood up and took a seat next to Caleb. He knew that he wouldn't be able to wait to read this paper.

_Simcoe had practically dragged Elizabeth to the once church building. Though he didn't have to, she would have gone willingly. Major Hewlett was waiting inside seated next to Judge Woodhull. A chair was fetched for her as well. Being a woman, they didn't want her to be uncomfortable._

_"__I'm quite sorry about this Elizabeth," the Judge had said._

_"__It's not a problem," she had assured both the Major and the Judge. "Although I'm not quite sure what you need from me."_

_"__Of course this is an unfortunate situation but we need to be thorough," Hewlett responded. "Now, I understand that you had a close relationship with both Caleb Brewster and Benjamin Tallmadge."_

_"__Yes sir," she replied. "Caleb is my cousin and has lived with my father and I these last few years. And Ben…" she trailed off unsure of what to say about him. The Judge had looked at her expectantly but the Major didn't seem to pick up on the nuance._

_"__I see," he said. "And are you aware that both of them have been missing since yesterday?" _

_"__I had noticed that Caleb wasn't home for breakfast this morning," she answered. "But I hadn't thought anything of it." _

_"__And what of the Tallmadge boy," Hewlett inquired._

_"__I saw him last at the Summer Ball," Elizabeth had lied. She briefly thought about the real last time she was with Ben and immediately banished the thought knowing it would give her away._

_"__Elizabeth," Judge Woodhull spoke up, "we believe that they have run to join the enemy." It was a test to see how she would respond. She had gasped appropriately._

_"__I don't understand," she said. "Why would they do such a thing?"_

_"__Obviously, they are traitors," Hewlett answered her. Elizabeth continued to pretend she was upset and shocked. Lieutenant Simcoe stepped toward her._

_"__There's something you aren't telling us," he insisted. _

_"__I don't know what you mean," Elizabeth breathed nervously. This wasn't part of the plan._

_"__Did you know their plans to leave?" he interrogated forcefully._

_"__No I didn't," she replied. She couldn't remember giving any indication of the contrary._

_"__How is it that your cousin, who you live with, held such strong, traitorous feelings and you knew nothing?" he leaned into her and rested his hands on the arms of her chair. Now he had frightened her._

_"__I don't ask after my cousin's politics, or my friends'," she stammered out. _

_"__Ms. Brewster," the Judge interjected. "Elizabeth, you surely must understand how odd this all seems. They were to report to us to join his Majesty's forces and instead they are gone. And after Samuel Tallmadge's betrayal. Does this not seem suspicious to you?"_

_"__I suppose it does, your Honor," she offered._

_"__Did they ever give any indication of wanting to be traitors?" Judge Woodhull inquired._

_"__Not to me sir," she lied smoothly._

_"__But you were close to them," Hewlett added._

_"__Yes sir, very." There was no use lying on that part, Judge Woodhull would know. Simcoe stepped forward._

_"__How did you not know about their political sentiments?" he asked._

_"__I never asked."_

_"__They never said anything to you?" Simcoe continued growing angry once more._

_"__No," she held her ground though she felt like she might sink into it. "Ben did once mention that he missed his brother but I doubt that counts."_

_"__And were you not in love with Benjamin?" The Judge struck a nerve deep inside her. She knew in that moment that he was no longer a friend to her or her family._

_"__I- I," she sat dumbfounded._

_"__Well?" Hewlett asked, his interest piqued._

_"__Yes," she whispered truthfully. It was the most honest thing that she had said since she entered the church._

_"__A poor choice," sneered Simcoe. "So you aided them out of the town to keep them from a cause they disliked."_

_"__No!" Elizabeth insisted._

_"__You loved them and they used you," he continued._

_"__No, I-"_

_"__Then you are a traitor, too!" Elizabeth needed to think fast._

_"__He asked me to marry him!" she blurted out, unsure of where it came from. There was a long silence in the air. The three Loyalists looked expectantly at her so she continued. "The night of the Summer Ball, Ben told me he loved me. He said he wanted to marry me and that he would talk to his father the next day. I waited all day but he never came. I thought maybe he hadn't asked his father yet, but if he really is gone, well then he never loved me at all." She let a few bitter tears leave her eyes hoping they would sell the story. _

_She waited a few moments before she went on, sniffling. "I didn't know he was a Patriot because I was blinded by love. But I never saw him again and so he wasn't the man I thought I knew." She swallowed bile at her words and prayed that Ben never find out about what she had said._

_"__And if he had asked you about joining the rebels, what would you have said?" Simcoe was just being vicious now, rubbing salt in her wounds._

_"__I wouldn't have an opinion to give him," she said._

_"__You cannot expect us to believe that you have no opinion!" Simcoe announced incredulously._

_"__Lieutenant Simcoe!" Major Hewlett warned. Though he was intrigued, this was no way to treat a lady._

_"__I don't see why there is an opinion for me to have," she answered anyway. All three men in the room looked at her. "A woman's place isn't in politics, it's in the home," she stated plainly. The words tasted like soap coming out of her mouth but she knew it was her only way out._

_After a prolonged pause, the men in the room began laughing._

_"__Gentlemen," the Judge said through his laughter. "I have known Ms. Brewster all her life and I can vouch for her sentiments. She always had a simple mind." There was more laughter and Elizabeth allowed herself to shift uncomfortably in her chair. Part of her hated that they were reducing her and that she had reduced herself, but if it protected Ben and Caleb, then she would endure it._

_"__Very well, Elizabeth," Major Hewlett said then. "You are free to go. I'm sorry for any trouble this caused you."_

_"__Oh, no trouble at all," she insisted as she left. When she got back to her home, she locked herself in her room and cried long and hard. Her only consolation was that she was the only one who knew where Ben and Caleb were, and she hadn't given them up._

Ben sat for a long time looking at the dispatch. He didn't know what to do about what he now knew. She hadn't given them up. That much was clear. And she had gone through great lengths to prove her loyalty.

But Ben couldn't forget that she had insisted he didn't really love her. Here were the words on the paper. She had said that if he loved her, he would have stayed. But he did love her. In fact, he had offered to stay behind for her but she had urged him not to. Was it some kind of test; one that he had failed because he had left to join the Continentals? He wondered if she really felt this way or if it was another lie she told to protect them. Caleb could see the anguish written all over Ben's face.

"She said what she had to," he urged his friend, "not what she actually thought. She wanted us to go."

"How do you know that?" Ben spit out. He instantly regretted the venom in his words but he meant them none the less.

"Because this is Elizabeth we're talkin' about," he answered. "And Elizabeth would never say that she was simple minded or that a woman's place is only in the home. She'd be hanged before she submitted to such degrading words." Ben did have to nod in agreement there. Elizabeth was not one to have no opinions.

But Caleb couldn't stop thinking about what he would do to the redcoats should he find them. What they had done to Elizabeth was cruel and Caleb only wished he could look them in the eyes when he killed them.

The boys read through the other interrogations but none of them really mattered. None of them knew anything.

They finished the rest of the reports and, the next morning, reported back to General Scott. They didn't have anything of consequence to report but Scott had insisted they come anyway.

"There were a lot of reports on the occupation in Setauket," Ben reported. "Mostly about quartering and when new more officers would arrive."

"And do they suspect our camp here?" Scott inquired. Ben and Caleb exchanged a short glance.

"No, not at all," Ben reported. All thanks to one person.

"Thank you boys," the General said. "Now go pack up your things. We leave at dusk."

"Sir?" Ben asked.

"We've received orders to head out and towards Virginia. Washington needs us near the front." Ben and Caleb nodded and with a salute, left the tent.


	7. Chapter 7

The sun had just risen on the cold February day and Elizabeth had woken early to hang the laundry. It had been about six months since Ben and Caleb had joined the cause and Officer Johnathan Brooks had moved into her home. She scowled inwardly as she hung the red coat on the line. She grabbed the basket and turned around to find the man in question behind her.

"Good morning," she offered kindly to the officer. The longer the man had stayed at the Brewster home, the less comfortable she had felt under his gaze. He hadn't exactly been discreet about his intentions towards her over the past few months but she had been very careful to avoid his advances.

"Ms. Brewster," he nodded. "I wondered if you might accompany me on a walk this afternoon."

"I'm afraid I'm needed here to take care of my father," she replied feigning apology. She pushed past him and tried to return to her home. He sidestepped into her way.

"You know, that wasn't really a request," he insisted grabbing her arm and causing her to drop the basket. "You have been trying to avoid me for months, offering one excuse or another. One might think you didn't like us officers. After all, you were in love with a traitor." Elizabeth looked taken aback.

"That was," she stated swallowing bile, "a mistake."

"You're correct, it was. But this isn't," he persisted. He leaned in to kiss her but she turned her cheek to him.

"Johnathan, I can't; not with my father being so sick." She made a move to get away.

"And you wouldn't want something unfortunate to happen to him," he threatened. Elizabeth stopped dead. She opened her mouth to speak but could find no words to say. "No one would believe you a traitor if you were to wed an officer of his Majesty." She couldn't disagree with his logic, though. She needed to back track.

"So you want me to marry you?" she played dumb.

"No," he responded. Elizabeth was about to sigh. "You are going to marry me. My dear, you are the most beautiful woman in this town and I intend to have you." He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "and you're going to like it."

"Fine," she responded. There was no use objecting, he was going to win.

"I'll go talk to the Judge," he said as he slithered away. Elizabeth picked up the basket once more and went inside.

She closed the door behind her.

"What have I done?" she pleaded with her father. He seemed to already know what had happened. He waved her over to him and she sat by his feet, laying her head on his knee. He lightly patted the top of her head. They stayed like this for a long time.

"You don't have to stay," Lukas whispered, causing her to look up. "If there is nothing left for you here, go."

"I can't, father. I have to stay." Lukas just sighed. "Father, if you must know, if I were not still here, the officers would have been far more vicious after the disappearance of Caleb and Ben. I miss them every hour of every day but until this war is over, my place is here." Her father's eyes flashed with realization. He looked as if he wanted to speak.

Johnathan Brooks burst swiftly through the door suddenly with a wide smile.

"It is set!" he exclaimed. "Tomorrow we shall be wed!"

"So soon?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Of course," came Johnathan's response. "We have lived together for six months. Why wait?" She nodded silently for her words would have betrayed her.

"And where is this to happen?" she inquired trying desperately to calm her raging heartbeat.

"The town hall." _The church,_ she thought bitterly. It seemed like adultery, what she was agreeing to.

"Very well," she finished the conversation. She had agreed and he had his satisfaction. There was no need to pretend she was happy about it.

The next morning, she woke early once again but instead of doing her chores, she delicately pinned her hair up and fastened her dress corset. She didn't actually have a wedding dress but in her heart, this was not a real wedding. She chose her whitest frock and laced it tight.

She came downstairs and her father sat in a chair and stared out the window. She could tell by the tremors in his hands that this was one of his bad days. She bitterly sighed in relief that he would not be well enough to witness her wedding.

She opened the door to leave and saw Anna standing at the door. She hugged her friend fiercely for Anna was perhaps the only one who knew how it felt to have to marry the wrong man.

She had been married to Silas Strong for only three weeks and Elizabeth knew that Anna still wept occasionally for the love she once had for Abraham.

"It will get easier," Anna assured her.

"But Silas is a good man, and a patriot too," Elizabeth replied. "Johnathan is-"

"A man," Anna finished. "And a good way to keep suspicion from yourself." Elizabeth thought she saw Anna wink at her but it must have been a trick of the morning light.

They made their way to the church quietly. When they could see it in the immediate distance, Elizabeth turned to her friend to ask a burning question.

"When he finds out, do you think he will hate me?" she asked. Anna shook her head.

"That man could never hate you," she said. "Not after everything you have been through together." Elizabeth nodded knowing that there were things between herself and Ben that not even Anna knew about.

_The disease had come quickly and no one had been prepared, least of all the Tallmadges. Elizabeth sat in her parlor and listened to Judge Woodhull tell her parents the news. Mrs. Tallmadge had passed after only two weeks with the deadly virus of which no one could identify._

_Hearing all of this, Elizabeth thought of the Tallmadge boys, especially her close friend Benjamin. They were both about seventeen at the time. Her heart hurt for him. Standing up, she politely excused herself and headed to get her cape. Placing it around her shoulders, she left her own house and headed for that of the Tallmadges._

_There were throngs of people already at the house offering their condolences. Upon her approach, Samuel, Ben's older brother, found her. He hugged her tightly and she whispered how sorry she was. Pulling away, Sam nodded and squeezed her shoulders in appreciation_

_"__Ben hasn't left his room since it happened," he told her. It was more of a plea than a statement and Elizabeth turned and headed in the direction of the house once more. She passed Abraham and Anna and paused a moment to nod to them in greeting. Abraham shook his head sadly and Caleb approached them doing the same. It became rather apparent that Ben would not come out for anyone but Elizabeth wanted to try. _

_When she knocked on Ben's door there was no answer._

_"__Please, Ben, let me in," she pleaded. As much as Ben wanted to open the door, he couldn't find the strength in him to stand, let alone walk across the room to unlock the door. After a few more moments, she sighed and turned to leave. She paused to look out the hallway window when she immediately got an idea. _

_Elizabeth hiked up her skirts and swiftly climbed out the hallway window. Luckily for her, Ben's room overlooked the rear of the house and she was easily able to climb around the house without being seen. She pushed the window to Ben's room open and tumbled inside rather ungracefully._

_She looked around to get some bearing of her surroundings and saw a dumbfounded Ben sitting on the bed in the corner of the room. He looked as though he had stopped crying a while ago but his face still looked rather puffy. He looked away from her and looked at the floor._

_She silently stood up and took a seat on the bed next to him._

_"__Sam said that you were up here," she told him, looking at her hands. "He's worried about you." She took a chance and glanced at him. His gaze remained fixed on the floor. _

_She shifted off the bed and gently knelt down in front of him sitting on her feet. All this thinking was bad for him, she decided. She put her hands on his folded ones and pressed her lips to his thumbs. He finally looked up at her, astonished. He slid off the bed to his knees so that they were on the same level. She sat up off of her feet and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him to her chest. _

_He surrounded her frame and squeezed her, drawing what comfort there was to be found in their embrace. For the first time in two days, he smiled a little. _

_Just then, someone knocked at the door. _

_"__Ben, are you in there?" Abraham called from outside. Elizabeth guessed that Anna was with him, maybe even Caleb. Elizabeth pulled out of his arms and unlocked the door. Ben, now painfully aware of the absence of her body heat, stood up to greet his friends._

_"__Elizabeth?" Caleb questioned. "How did you get in here?" Ben and Elizabeth both looked at the slightly ajar window. Caleb laughed. "Shoulda guessed." Ben turned to face his friends._

_"__Thank you," he said evenly. He looked at Elizabeth and smiled. "I will be alright."_

_"__Glad to hear it," Abraham responded hugging his friend. Ben turned and embraced each of his friends. He came to Elizabeth last. He hesitated only a moment to look her in the eyes before hugging her fiercely. The five friends headed back down the stairs and outside. _

_Ben stood by his father and received each of the guests and mourners that came for the rest of the evening and Elizabeth stayed by his side until the last guest, Judge Woodhull, had left._

_Elizabeth went to go fetch her cape once the Judge had gone but Ben beat her to the rack and held the slip of blue fabric out for her. She turned her back to him as he slipped the cape over her shoulders. When he pulled her hair out from under the cape, his fingers lightly brushed against the nape of her neck and a tremor ran down her spine. She wrote it off as a side effect of it being such a long day but still struggled to calm her shaking fingers to tie the cape at the front. _

_Ben escorted her home almost completely in silence. Once they came upon the house, they both stopped and turned to each other. Ben opened his mouth to speak but Elizabeth held up a finger to him. She turned around and plucked a red rose from her favorite bush. She tucked it into the pocket of his jacket._

_"__How did you know-" he started to ask when she cut him off._

_"__That it was her favorite?" she finished. "When you were little and came over to play with Caleb, she would stop to admire this bush before she came to retrieve you." She smiled up at him and no longer saw sadness in his eyes. "You know, this bush will always be here in case you need something to remember her by." _

_Ben pulled her into his arms and embraced her warmly. She inhaled deeply the sweet scent of the flower and the scent that was distinctly him and relaxed. _

_"__One day, I will find a way to thank you for this," he whispered. Elizabeth chuckled silently._

_"__There's no need," she assured him. "It's what friends are for." She turned and opened the door to find Caleb standing in the corridor._

_"__Benny Boy," Caleb greeted as Elizabeth stepped inside. "If ya need anythin'," Caleb told his friend, "just let us know." Ben nodded and looked right at Elizabeth._

_"__Thank you, but I think I'm going to be alright," he said smiling._

"Hold on to that," Anna said, snapping Elizabeth out of the memory. "This war won't last forever."


	8. Chapter 8

I'm sorry this is so late. I had a huge commitment this weekend that required me to stand for 30+ hours straight in a basketball stadium so I haven't been able to update. As recompense, I shall give you two chapters. Thank you for your understanding!

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Another five months had passed in the Continental Army and it found Ben a Captain and Caleb his First Lieutenant. They were still doing regular scouting trips but they were rather heavily regarded among the ranks of the other soldiers.

It had been almost a year since either of them had heard any word of Setauket and the events there. It had also been months since Ben had heard any word of his brother. The two had briefly seen each other at a rendezvous in Connecticut the past spring.

_Ben had just been promoted to Captain. The frost had finally melted and the fighting would surely resume within days. General Scott found it fitting that they meet up with another dragoon to assess their combined knowledge._

_As they rode over the hill, Ben caught site of the Major leading the dragoon. It was his brother, Samuel, riding towards him. Once they were close enough, the both dismounted and embraced each other._

_"__It's so good to see you," Samuel told his younger brother. "And a Captain!" he exclaimed. "I'm impressed." Caleb came up to the exchange._

_"__Good to see you're doing well, Sammy!" he said._

_"__And I, you," Samuel replied. "Come, let us set up camp. There is much we need to discuss." General Scott finally approached and exchanged pleasantries after which both dragoons disbanded to make camp._

_Samuel was already seated in the central tent when Ben arrived followed by Caleb. They exchanged embraces once again and took their seats._

_"__How have you been, brother?" Ben asked._

_"__Probably about the same as you," he replied. The laughed a moment. "When did you two finally join up?" he inquired._

_"__The red coats took over Setauket," Caleb answered. "Couldn't stay and pretend to be loyal."_

_"__Setauket?" Sam sounded taken aback. Ben nodded sadly. "What of father? Lukas Brewster? Abraham, Anna and-" _Elizabeth_, he let that last name hang in the air knowing the uncontrollable fondness his brother had for her._

_"__We don't know much recently," Ben started avoiding any thought of his lost love. "They tore up Father's church to make a pulpit for their Major and interrogated everyone once we left. It was useless, though because the only person who knew where we'd gone was…" He also found speaking her name to be difficult._

_"__That was a good idea," Sam concluded. "Get as few people involved as possible."_

_"__That was Elizabeth's idea," Caleb stated. Sam chuckled._

_"__Sounds like her," he commented._

_They spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening exchanging war stories and old anecdotes. Ben hadn't noticed until now just how much he had missed his brother. _

_Sometime after dinner, Caleb left the tent for his watch, leaving the two brothers to talk. Sam told his brother of a tavern wench he had grown fond of. He was hoping to steer the conversation to find out what had happened in his absence between his brother and the girl he stayed home for. He could see in Ben's eyes that the relationship had evolved but just how much remained a mystery to Sam. Eventually, he could no longer beat around the bush. _

_"__I take it you two made love then," Sam said rather bluntly. Ben's face flushed red and he didn't know what to say. Sam laughed outwardly. "It was only a matter of time."_

_"__It wasn't like that," Ben insisted. "It was the night I left actually. She said she loved me and I have always…"_

_"__That you have," Sam replied. "How was it, if I may ask?" Ben paused a moment. It was an uncomfortable question._

_"__Magical," he said._

_"__The first time always is," Sam nodded._

_"__But it was more than that," Ben said defensively. He didn't want his brother to think what he and Elizabeth had done was casual._

_"__Well I'd say so since you two had been leading up to it for so long." Ben blushed a deep red once again._

_"__I miss her," he admitted softly._

_"__I know brother," Sam tried to offer some comfort. "She always was your other half."_

_"__When did you know," Ben asked, "that Elizabeth and I would end up together?"_

_"__Do you remember the day you two met?" Sam answered his brother with another question._

_"__Yes," Ben replied smiling. He had been asking his father a question on his sermon and thought they were only eight years old, the Reverend seemed remarkably impressed and stumped by his question. He had wanted to know if suffering was a gift from the Lord or a curse from the Devil. Ben remembered that his father had no immediate answer, so Elizabeth had replied that suffering was both because God made the Devil. They had smiled and introduced each other. After that, they met often before church services to talk and Elizabeth became an integral part of their group of friends._

_"__Then that is when I knew," Sam answered finally. Ben smiled because he knew then too._

Ben was brought out of his stupor by the General Scott calling for him. He strode over to the tent and entered, taking care to remove his helmet.

"Son," Scott began, "I received a dispatch today that I fear holds a special meaning to you." Ben suddenly became nervous and took the paper from the General's hands. On it was a list of captured officers that were being sent to a prison ship by the enemy, the SS Jersey. The fourth name in the second column immediately caught his eye: "Samuel Tallmadge, Major" it read. Ben inhaled deeply to avoid any tears that may be apt to fall.

"Thank you, General," he said and made haste to leave the tent. Caleb saw him leave as he had been waiting for him.

"Benny Boy, are you okay?" Caleb asked with genuine concern.

"They took Samuel," he said plainly. "Sent him to the Jersey to die."

"Then I guess we'll have ta take him back, aye?" Caleb asked in reply.


	9. Chapter 9

Fair warning, this chapter does contain so mention of domestic violence so if that makes you uncomfortable, you know.

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"Wife," Johnathan Brooks yelled from the parlor, "where are you with my breakfast?" Elizabeth hurried to finish assembling the tray and brought it out to him. It was like this every morning. In fact, it was like this all of the time. The only respite she found was the hours he spent drinking with the other officers and the occasional mission that he embarked on.

"I'm sorry it took so long," she offered though there was no apology in her heart.

"A good wife does not keep her husband waiting," he grumbled. Anna once said that it gets better with time but Elizabeth found that harder to believe with each passing day.

When he had finished eating, he stood up. He muttered something about going to the tavern and left.

Elizabeth visibly relaxed and set off to clean up the mess her husband left behind. She bent over to pick up the tray when she noticed a deep purple handprint on her right arm. She sighed deeply. She had hoped she wouldn't need to conceal another bruise. She had suffered many over the months she had been married.

_Elizabeth was working on a blanket she was sewing when Johnathan came in. It was evident that he had been drinking a fair amount but he also looked rather put off. Elizabeth thought it better to let him be and continued her sewing._

_He stormed into the parlor and grabbed her right arm. Pulling her to stand he threw her to the other side of the room. She stood back up but was only on her feet a few short seconds before being on the ground again. He reared back to kick her and she rolled out of the way._

_It made him angrier to see her trying to get away. It made it seem as if what he was doing was wrong. But she was his wife, he reasoned, so he could do as he wished._

_"__Johnathan," she tried to reason with him, "what's wrong?"_

_He responded by kicking her again. She continued to try to avoid his swings. It would tire him out quickly to have to chase her but would anger him later. She finally escaped him and ran into the guest room and locked the door. _

_After several long minutes of him beating at the door, Elizabeth heard her husband give up and retreat to the upstairs bedroom. She sighed knowing she had escaped for now. _

But that was months ago. Early in the marriage she had been resistant to his attacks. She fought back when absolutely necessary.

Now she was used to his viciousness. She expected his violence and on the occasions that he did drunkenly decide to beat her, she allowed it. She hated that she had to submit to this but an incident about four months into their union had left her wondering why she resisted at all when he would surely still manage to hurt her.

When it became dark, Johnathan burst through the door. He was angry and drunk but his first reaction wasn't to attack her and Elizabeth was actually more startled by his lack of attention.

"Get me something to eat," he demanded and she quickly complied.

"Is something wrong?" she asked cautiously.

"Captain Joyce was found dead today. The Woodhull boy's done it," he replied grumbling. Elizabeth immediately didn't believe him. Abraham couldn't hurt a fly, much less an officer.

"Did someone see him do it?" she asked curiously from the kitchen.

"Why all the questions?" he snapped back.

"I'm sorry," she offered, "I was just inquiring as Abraham is the Judge's son and-"

"That's how he's gonna get away with it," he muttered, slurring his words slightly. "That's what Simcoe said.

_Well of course that's what Simcoe said,_ she thought. She finished heating her husband up some soup and returned to the parlor. In his chair, he was fast asleep. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. He had really drunk himself out this time. She thanked the Lord for this small scrap of peace. It meant she wouldn't be expected to submit to his advances that night.

The decision to remain in her father's house had been hers. She had hoped being close to her father would both stifle the blow of her unwanted marriage and would keep her father close so that she could care for him. She hadn't anticipated that she would spend her nights hoping her father couldn't hear her husband taking what he wanted from her, violently if necessary.

She took the soup back to the kitchen and rinsed out the bowl. She ascended the steps to her room and locked the door behind her upon entering just in case. She sighed aloud comforted by the fact that Johnathan was to be sent on a mission the next day that would keep him until at least Monday. It gave her a minimum of four days in peace. Little did she know, it would be his last mission from His Majesty's Army.


	10. Chapter 10

"Wake up ya dumb bastard!" Caleb yelled at the captured officer. He furiously slapped the man until he finally showed some life in him. Ben stood back amused. He couldn't deny that Simcoe deserved the brutality that Caleb was showing him.

"It must be torture to live like you do," Simcoe sneered making Caleb even more enraged. "So close to your home but unable to set foot in it." Ben took a moment to think about what leaving Setauket had meant. He hadn't known the full extent of what could happen until he had seen Abraham a few weeks ago.

_Ben couldn't believe how Abraham had fallen right into his path. Here he was, in need of an inside man and his childhood best friend happens to come straight to him. He knew that Caleb had already done his part and now it was only a matter of loyalty._

_Caleb and himself didn't often receive much news from their old town of Setauket anymore. They had once caught wind that Abraham had married Mary, a girl Ben had only met once. And that Anna had become the wife of Silas Strong. This had come as a huge surprise to them as Abe and Anna had been deeply in love when they left._

_"__Captain Tallmadge," one of the guards greeted him at the door. He never quite got used to the feeling of being called "captain". He nodded and descended the stairs to where Abraham was._

_He was shocked to see several officers practically drowning the farmer._

_"__Enough! That's enough!" he commanded. "I know him; he is not a spy."_

_"__Ben?" he heard Abraham call out, though his head was in a brown sack. The officers left him alone with Abraham. After Ben had removed the sack, the two men embraced warmly. "Look at you! So this is where you went!" Abraham exclaimed. Ben laughed a little._

_"__And you!" Ben returned. "A married man!" Abraham nodded a bit sheepishly but Ben did not want to push it. "So how is Setauket these days?" he asked to ease the tension._

_"__Not great," Abraham answered honestly. "But I guess that's what you expect when redcoats take over." Ben nodded. He had another question he wanted answered but he hadn't the nerve to ask. "She's okay," Abraham added. Ben suddenly didn't want to know why Abraham sounded so grim._

_"__Look, I have a signed letter from Governor Trumbull to release you," Ben said pulling the paper out of his coat pocket. It was a sudden shift in conversation but Abe was grateful he didn't have to explain to Ben what had happened to Elizabeth. "We just need to know who your contact was at Frog's Point."_

_"__I can't do that," Abraham insisted._

_They grappled for a few minutes until Ben was convinced that Abraham would not betray Caleb. _

_"__Why are you really here?" Abe asked after a time._

_"__I told you, I have a permit," Ben replied and then paused a moment. "Look, we're of a mind that if you can smuggle cabbage, you can smuggle something more important," Ben whispered._

_"__You came to enlist me?"_

_"__I came to recruit you." Abraham had to refuse. "Abe, I remember who you are, even if you have forgotten," Ben said. He could see that the Abraham he once knew was buried too deeply to be retrieved quickly so he set his friend free. He couldn't find it in his heart to interrogate him any longer._

_"__There's one more thing," Abraham said turning back to Ben. "They married her off. She didn't have much of a choice." Ben punched the wall._

Ben's head snapped up in attention though it gave up his inner thoughts. "Oh, yes, I remember! Benjamin Tallmadge! You're the boy who left a young lover in Setauket. A certain cousin of yours," he said looking at Caleb.

Ben wanted nothing more in that moment than to kill the Captain but he needed information.

"This isn't about us," Ben interjected. "This is about information that you're going to give us." Simcoe laughed.

"She made a pretty bride too," Simcoe continued to taunt. "Sad but pretty." Ben needed to steer the conversation away before he let his anger get the best of him.

"You can make this end," he said to Simcoe. "Just tell us what we need to know."

"All you need to know is that your little girlfriend is currently another man's whore," he replied. "You see, it's not your town is it? It belongs to our king. Just like Mrs. Elizabeth Brooks belongs to her husband."

"That's it," Caleb said pulling out his gun. "Ben, I think we're done here."

"No," Be stepped in between Caleb and the officer. "I'll do it." He stepped to draw his sword when General Scott came charging down the stairs. Simcoe chuckled a moment. He smiled inwardly suddenly remembering that Johnathan Brooks had been with him when they attacked the rebel safe house. His body likely rotted with the rest of them. He looked at Captain Tallmadge who looked not only angry but upset. The boy didn't need to know how his love was a widow. Simcoe made a mental note to take care of that once he returned to Setauket.


	11. Chapter 11

**So we have reached about the halfway point. I figured I should include a bit from before there was really a "thing" between Ben and Elizabeth. I think they definitely needed to be friends before they were lovers so here is that mixed in with a bit of good news... for now... :) Thank you so much for sticking with me so far!**

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The Brewster home hadn't been so peaceful in almost a year. Elizabeth smiled and even hummed a little as she continued to sew the blanket she was working on. There was a knock at the door and Elizabeth rose quickly to answer it. Had it been her husband, she was sure he would have just entered unannounced. Instead, Major Hewlett stood at the door.

"Good Evening, Mrs. Brooks," he greeted as she let him in.

"Major, please call me Elizabeth," she answered with fake warmth. She knew he would see her offer as a courtesy when all she really wanted was to never have to hear her name attached to her husband's aloud. The Major smiled a sad smile at her and took a seat in her parlor. She wondered what could cause him to be so sad and visit her.

"I wish I didn't have to bring you this news," he said, "but in the raid in Connecticut, our soldiers were blindsided. We lost all of them." Elizabeth took a moment to digest the news. She had to swallow relief and a smile; instead she showed no emotion at all. "I know this is a lot to process."

"Yes, sir," she managed to say. She knew that if the Major stayed in her home much longer, she would give away her true feelings.

"I should leave you to mourn," the Major said. Elizabeth nodded and let him out. She waited just long enough to be sure he was gone before she allowed herself to celebrate. She didn't have much celebration in her, if she was honest but if Johnathan was never returning, she knew she could feel some relief for that. She quickly grabbed her cape and headed out into the orchard. Whenever she needed to think, she always went deep into the apple trees as it reminded her of a simpler time.

_All five friends had agreed to meet in the orchard after church. Caleb had just joined Elizabeth and Ben at thirteen years old and Abraham and Anna had reached eleven. They all liked to play in the creek by the edge of the orchard and since the summer air was so warm that day, they had decided to return there._

_They ran around the orchard for some time before deciding to engage in a game of hide-and-seek. It was Elizabeth's favorite game as she knew the orchard well and could spend hours hiding in the trees. Caleb offered to search first and the children dispersed. _

_Elizabeth found her favorite tree and climbed up it. She knew it was improper for a lady to climb trees but she didn't much care. It was her favorite for many reasons but mostly because the leaves were sparse at the top and at night she could see the stars while lying across the uppermost branches. Not even Caleb knew about the tree, so it was the perfect place to hide._

_It became dark rather quickly and soon, Elizabeth began to wonder if Caleb had given up. She heard a voice whispering in the dark. _

_"__Elizabeth!" it said. She could tell by the voice that the game was still on but it wasn't Caleb's voice she heard. "Elizabeth, it's Ben. Where are you?" She smiled and climbed partway down the tree. Sitting on a lower limb, she whispered back to him._

_"__Ben, up here!" He caught sight of her and smiled. "Is Caleb still looking?" she asked as he climbed up to her._

_"__I think so," he replied. "I haven't seen him yet. We should probably go back."_

_"__Wait," she said pointing upward. "Do you want to see something amazing?" He nodded tentatively as if not completely sure he could trust her. She climbed all the way back up to the top and laid down, making sure to leave enough room for Ben. She watched him lie down and look up at the stars._

_"__Wow," he whispered._

_"__Yeah, it's my favorite place to think," she told him._

_"__And your great hiding place?" he asked. She nodded._

_"__Don't you dare give me away," she warned as she turned and looked at him. He looked back and they began to laugh._

_"__I won't," he assured her. She nodded and sat up. "Come on, we need to go before they think we got lost." Ben suddenly blushed. "What?" she asked._

_"__Actually, I am lost," he answered sheepishly. She chuckled lightly._

_"__Well come on then," she said._

_They climbed quickly down the tree and Elizabeth led them back to the creek. Ben never told anyone about her hiding place._

She found that tree then and looked at it. She was too old to attempt climbing it but just being around it brought back a peaceful sense she often associated with the past. She sat by the tree and prayed for the first time in months. She prayed for her father and for a swift end to the war but most of all, she prayed for Ben and Caleb. She prayed that where ever they were, they were safe.


	12. Chapter 12

Caleb watched helplessly as Ben plunged into the icy water of the Delaware.

"Ben!" he yelled. Caleb reached out to his friend and Ben scrambled trying to get back in the boat. He felt the icy water surrounding him and it made his movements slow. The longer he struggled, the colder he felt. He started to feel himself slipping unconscious. He fought it but eventually couldn't help it.

He awoke briefly to Caleb standing over him trying to get him to wake up.

"Wake up ya dumb bastard," Caleb said. "I told Elizabeth I was bringing ya back alive and I ain't gonna let ya go out like this." His words sparked realization in Ben and he fought harder to stay awake. It didn't last long and he found his solace in darkness once more.

The next time he woke up, it was dark. Caleb was skinning a rabbit near the fire and was mumbling to himself.

"Ya know why ya can't die?" Caleb asked Ben though he assumed him to still be sleeping. "Cause you're a virgin. The big man upstairs don't take too kindly to virgins over the age of twenty."

"Not a virgin," Ben grumbled not realizing he'd said it aloud.

"What?" Caleb looked up so suddenly, he dropped the rabbit. Coming to a little, Ben responded.

"I said I'm not a virgin." Caleb smiled widely.

"Welcome back," he said. Caleb laughed incredulously as he moved closer to his friend. "So you and Elizabeth then?" Ben coughed wretchedly but nodded.

"The night we left," he answered.

"Little Benny Boy's not a virgin…" Caleb said aloud. "Who'd a thunk?" Ben coughed again and Caleb became concerned. Ben shook him off and tried to sit up. He became instantly dizzy and laid back down.

"Obviously not you," Ben replied starting to feel faint once more. Caleb saw that his friend was starting to go again.

"You have to stay with me, Ben," Caleb commented sounding mildly desperate.

"Just another hour." Ben's voice sounded far away.

"If ya don't do it for me, do it for her," Caleb pleaded. Ben nodded but slipped into darkness anyway.

He started to dream rather lucidly. It was more of a memory, though.

_Ben had set out early in the morning to head to the Brewsters. It had been several weeks since the passing of his mother but he still preferred not to spend too much time in his own home. Luckily, Caleb had invited him to help pick apples in the Brewster orchard. _

_Elizabeth answered the door when he knocked. She looked pale and he immediately knew something was off. Before he could ask, Caleb had appeared._

_"__Benny Boy!" he exclaimed. "Glad you're here, it's going to be a long day." Elizabeth took a step to let Ben in and suddenly stopped. She grabbed the door firmly so as to steady herself but her grip faltered and she collapsed. Ben just barely managed to catch her._

_"__Elizabeth!" he said in surprise. He felt her forehead which burnt his hand on contact. Caleb ran over to Ben and Elizabeth._

_"__Ben, go get the doctor and I will get her upstairs," Caleb said. He gathered the unconscious girl in his arms and carried her to her room. Ben took off down the road to the doctor's house. _

_By the time Ben returned with the doctor, both Lukas and his wife had returned from the orchard and were sitting in the parlor waiting. The doctor was only with her for a short time but it felt like an eternity to Ben and Caleb as they stood waiting. _

_"__It's only a simple fever," the doctor announced after he had descended the stairs. "Nothing to worry about." Caleb saw Ben stiffen significantly. His mother only had a "simple fever" and now she was dead. Ben found himself unable to speak or move. _

_"__The harvest," Lukas said quietly remembering that there was work that needed to be done. _

_"__I would be more than willing to help," Ben offered finding his voice again._

_"__That's very kind of you Benjamin," Mrs. Brewster replied. "I can take care of Elizabeth then." But her hands began to shake and Caleb noticed._

_"__Aunt, you need to rest. Look, your hands are trembling." Mrs. Brewster looked at her hands and sighed._

_"__But Elizabeth," she started thinking aloud._

_"__Benny Boy'll look after her," Caleb offered causing Ben to nearly choke. _

_"__Oh, would you?" she asked and Ben smiled. _

_"__Of course," he answered._

_Next thing Ben knew, he was alone in Elizabeth's room with her sleeping soundly in her bed. She still looked extremely pale. He gently laid a cool damp cloth across her forehead. Slowly she opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and smiled at him but suddenly looked confused and tried to sit up._

_"__Don't do that," Ben whispered placing his hand on her shoulder to guide her back down._

_"__What happened?" she asked weakly._

_"__You have a fever and you passed out." Elizabeth looked hard at him for a moment. He didn't really notice because he was too busy thinking about his mom. _

_"__I'm going to be fine," she told him. Her hand found his and she squeezed it weakly. _

_"__I know," he said in reply though he still had uncontrollable doubts. He reached up and removed the cloth from her forehead. He dipped it in the cool water and rung it out. He then took his free hand and held the side of her face in it as he patted her forehead with the cool cloth. She leaned her face slightly into his hand. He knew it was a very intimate gesture but it felt too good for him to pull back. Besides, they had known each other for so long it didn't seem out of place. She closed her eyes and started to fall asleep once more. On impulse, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. It was still hot to the touch but he didn't care. _

_"__Thank you for this," she whispered almost silently._

_"__Of course," he whispered back. He took her hand in his once more and held it, drawing comfort from the fact that there was still life in it. _

_When Caleb had found and woken him up later that day, he was sitting in the chair by her bed, holding her hand delicately._

Ben opened his eyes and it was light outside. He felt significantly stronger than he had the last time he woke up. He even managed to sit up a little and when Caleb saw this he was greatly relieved. Ben was like his brother and losing him would have been too much to bear. He also knew that Elizabeth would never forgive him if Ben were to not make it.


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm sorry if I have been a little haphazard in updating, I have been super preoccupied! Anyway, if you're still with me, leave a review, favorite or follow the story to let me know! Enjoy!**

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When Simcoe returned to Setauket, Elizabeth was surprised. For weeks he had been assumed dead. She thought maybe his near death experience might make him a bit more amiable but he immediately set on a crusade that often included him harassing her father, Lukas.

A week into his return, awful things started to happen including the near poisoning of the Major and the shooting of Judge Woodhull. Elizabeth intended to visit Abraham to see how the Judge was doing when officers came and arrested her father. She found out swiftly that they had taken the Reverend Tallmadge too along with many others in the town. A trial was to be held in the once church and she hurried to see what was going on.

Elizabeth watched silently as Abraham interrogated her father. She could tell by her father's shaking that his palsy was already flaring up and Abraham yelling was only making it worse.

She couldn't believe Abraham. This was the boy she had grown up with. He knew how fragile her father was and yet he was screaming at him like he was a hardened criminal.

As Lukas started to fall apart, Elizabeth could no longer take it.

"Stop it!" she screamed standing up. She could feel all the eyes in the room shift to her. "I did it!" She didn't know where it came from.

"Elizabeth," Abraham whispered confused. She saw in his eyes complete disbelief. She knew she had to say something convincing to save everyone else.

"I tried to poison the Major," she said without wavering. "I was married to an abusive British officer for a year trying to convince you all I was a Loyalist. But I'm not and I never have been. It's time you left us in this town alone and one day Washington will make you leave." She tried to appear braver than she felt.

"Mrs. Brooks," Major Hewlett addressed her, "it is obvious that you are unwell and are trying to save your father but he is the guilty one, not you. Please sit down."

"But it's true," she urged. "It's a well-known fact that poison is a woman's weapon. And the round that shot your father, Abraham, was from a British military rifle. Much like the one my late husband owned. The one I used to shoot him. Though he wasn't my target," she added looking at Simcoe. When she looked back at Hewlett, she saw that he seemed convinced.

"Very well, Captain Simcoe please arrest Mrs. Brooks," he said.

"Brewster," she corrected. Simcoe seemed compliant though he hesitated a second almost as if wanting to argue.

He dragged her to a makeshift cell in the basement of the tavern.

"Johnathan always said you were a piece of work," Simcoe sneered. Elizabeth remained silent thinking only of how she hoped her sacrifice would save Reverend Tallmadge and her father with the rest of the men on trial and that her death for treason would be swift. Simcoe realized that he hadn't rattled her so he continued to speak.

"I guess it's only fair to tell you that your little stunt isn't going to help them." Elizabeth couldn't help but look up at him. "They are to be sent to the Jersey to serve their time on the ship. Your father probably won't last a day." She was horrified. "Don't worry; he will get to see you hanged." He knew that had struck a nerve in her.

"You've always been a monster," she finally spoke up.

"Oh, no," he said, "the Patriots are monsters. Make no mistake, this war will be over soon and all of your traitorous friends will join you in death." She wondered what friends he could mean. "I happened to run into some old friends of yours, a young Tallmadge boy and your cousin. They seemed quite surprised to hear of your unfaithfulness to them," he taunted. She could only think of Ben and Caleb. She suddenly realized she wouldn't get to say goodbye to them. They wouldn't know until it was too late. He laughed viciously at her and ascended the stairs.

A few hours later, she heard footsteps again. She turned around defensively but it was Anna holding a lantern and followed closely behind by Abraham. She turned away.

"Elizabeth," Anna whispered.

"How long have you two been back together?" Elizabeth asked bitterly. She felt bad for being so mean but after the way Abraham had acted and after how he had been acting the past few weeks, she felt as if she no longer knew him.

"Elizabeth, don't be like that," Abraham urged.

"You could have put him to death," she accused him. "You could have had all of them hanged."

"No," he replied. "My intention was to prove they couldn't have done it. I know who did; it was Simcoe trying to find a way to arrest the Reverend and your father." She began to understand.

"But why my father and the Reverend?" she asked.

"To get to Ben and Caleb," Anna answered. "He met them when they captured him in Connecticut." She nodded as it started to make more sense.

"But now they're going to hang you and send everyone else to the Jersey," Abraham said.

"It's a death sentence either way," Elizabeth concluded. Anna nodded knowing first-hand the killing power of the Jersey.

"We need to get you out of here," Abraham decided.

"No," Elizabeth stopped him. The determination in her voice cause both Anna and Abe to look hard at her. "I want to do this. If I run, there will be another investigation. You two could end up in trouble. No, I intend to let them do this to me."

"Elizabeth," Anna whispered starting to cry.

"It's okay," Elizabeth responded, "I'm ready for it. Just tell Caleb and…" she paused swallowing shallowly, "and Ben that I love them." Abraham extended a hand to her through the bars.

"We will," he said as she took his hand and squeezed it. Anna did the same and they spent a last few moments with each other before Anna and Abe snuck away. Only then did Elizabeth permit herself to cry.


	14. Chapter 14

Ben and Caleb continued to ride on toward the north. Their mission was important though Ben tried not to dwell on the fact that they were the decoys.

Having Silas join their garrison was a blessing in disguise as Caleb and Ben were able to learn much about how Setauket was fairing in the war. It also brought them news of Elizabeth which Caleb had avoided asking Abe and Anna about. They were talking about her marriage as they travelled.

"Brooks died in the raid on Connecticut," Silas reported. "Heard all about it the first few days on the Jersey."

"You're sure?" Caleb asked.

"Very, he was on the list of the deceased men when it came to the ship."

"Hear that?" Caleb asked Ben. "She's free. Elizabeth's free." Ben couldn't stop grinning. He knew she was safe from now on until the war was over. Being a widow of an officer meant she wouldn't be expected to remarry.

Ben halted the company when some militia men approached the troops. They brought with them a man they claimed to have come across from Setauket. It was a man they instantly recognized. They asked him what he was doing in Connecticut.

"Bloody back named Simcoe," he answered. "Ever since he's returned he's had it in for us Whigs. He's arrested your father and Lukas Brewster too."

"Your father, my uncle, that's quite the coincidence," Caleb said to Ben.

"On what grounds could they be arrested?" Ben asked.

"Conspiracy," their old friend replied. "But that's not the worst of it. They had a trial to make the hangings official and Elizabeth took the blame for all of them."

"Elizabeth? Why?" Ben needed to know.

"Little Woodhull was interrogating them both. It got pretty vicious. Suppose she couldn't help it but now they'll hang her and send the rest of them to the Jersey. I cut out just in time."

Ben thanked their friend and turned to Caleb. He knew they had to do something. They were too close to Setauket to let the redcoats killed everyone they cared for. He also couldn't stop thinking about Elizabeth. She was going to sacrifice her life for his father and hers. He needed to save her if it was the last thing he did.

"How many whale boats can you round up?" Ben asked him.

"To carry all this lot?" Caleb returned the question.

"Aye," Ben responded.

"We're going home?" Caleb inwardly cheered. He wanted to see their friends and family liberated as much as Ben did.

"We're going home."

Elizabeth slept very little the night before her execution. She laid in the dank basement and thought of Ben. She thought it strange that now she would choose to remember the way he had held her on their last night together. She tried to close her eyes and return herself to that night but only found herself becoming more upset that she would never see him again.

She heard the door open and footsteps on the stairs. She scrambled to her feet but the man who came into her vision sported not a red coat but a blue one. She pondered who this man could be until she saw his face.

"Ben?" she whispered weakly. He swiftly unbolted the makeshift cage she was being held in and threw the door open. She ran to him and wrapped her arms firmly around his neck. "You're alive," she said. Ben pulled her closer to himself snaking his arms around her waist.

"God, I've missed you," he said. She stiffed a little in his arms but he didn't have time to ponder the reason because more footsteps were heard above them.

"We have to go," he said. She silently agreed and followed Ben up the stairs.

"Wait Ben," she stopped him. "They've fortified the church, with pews and gravestones."

"Gravestones?"

"Yes, my mother's and yours'," she told him. He felt his anger swelling. They returned to the ground level of the tavern. He reached for her hand but she wouldn't take his. He tried not to feel slighted.

Abraham was speaking up against the Continentals when they surfaced. Ben commented on Abe's wife and child and Elizabeth could tell by his tone that there was something else going on. When Caleb grabbed Abe to take him for a "private talk" she knew this was no chance meeting.

She fought the urge to go with them, especially when Ben looked back at her. But she knew it was too suspicious to have all of them together. Instead she stood by the door knowing that everyone in the room thought her a murderer.

When they resurfaced, Abraham looked oddly determined. He grabbed the white flag of truce and started walking towards the church. Once inside, she could only wait. Ben and Caleb were by her side for a moment before they started towards the line awaiting the answer from Major Hewlett.

Suddenly Simcoe came charging out of the church dragging her father. Ben paused only a moment to gauge Elizabeth's reaction but she remained stoic though partially confused. It wasn't until Simcoe shot Lukas that she showed any emotion at all.

"No," she whispered completely inaudibly as she fell to her knees.

Caleb had a very different reaction as he jumped up and prepared to storm the Captain who had gone back inside the church. Ben tackled him, pleading that he relax.

By the time Caleb got free, they were releasing the rest of the captives unconditionally. After making sure the prisoners had really been released, Ben found Elizabeth. Her face had gone white and she made no sound. Caleb ran up to help carry his uncle and Elizabeth willed herself not to look as they passed. Ben hugged her close though she only froze in place.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered. She didn't nod nor offer any response. She only followed him to the shore. She boarded a boat with Caleb grateful it wasn't the one her now dead father was on. Ben stopped to embrace his father and it wasn't long before they all set sail.

When Anna jumped out of the boat and headed back for Setauket, both Ben and Caleb were relieved. Their ring could remain intact and both Abe and Anna had achieved great standing in the town.


	15. Chapter 15

It was a three hour boat ride to the nearest town away from Setauket. Ben hated that they had put Elizabeth on a separate boat from his own. It had been two long years and they were separated again. His father saw that his son was fighting some sort of internal battle and he was pretty confident that he knew why.

"Benjamin," he started. Ben snapped out of his thoughts and looked to his father. "There is something that you need to know. You won't take it well."

"I know, father," Ben cut him off. "The redcoats made her do it. I know that."

"That's not it," his father replied sadly. Ben suddenly felt anxious to know his father's news. "You will find her much changed since you left her."

"I didn't-" the Reverend held up a hand to stop his son.

"Mr. Brooks was a cruel man. He intended for Elizabeth to give up any fighting spirit she once had. But he didn't do it slowly. He didn't wait for her to give up gradually. He beat it out of her."

"You mean," Ben didn't want to imagine.

"It was vicious and it did a wonder on her. When she stepped up to take our place yesterday, she didn't do it only to save her father and the rest of us, she did it because she knew they would kill her. And watching her father die like that, I shudder to think of what thoughts she is having." Ben sat down suddenly and put his head in his hands. She was giving up. He remembered her telling him that she would wait for him as long as she could. He never imagined she would reach the point where she couldn't wait any longer.

"But Benjamin," Reverend Tallmadge offered his son a hand. "I didn't tell you this to upset you. I told you because there are only two people on this Earth that can help her now and it will have to be together. Be patient, Benjamin but know that if anyone is going to help her, it's you and Caleb." Ben let the information sink in. He looked to his right at the boat that carried Elizabeth. He could see what his father was saying about her having changed. She looked sad and worn and he didn't dare think about her looking, or being, beat up. He saw Caleb holding one of her delicate hands in his but it didn't seem to be a gesture she reciprocated. Instead she looked at the water.

The rest of the boat ride was agony for Ben. He wanted only to return to Elizabeth but even once they had reached the shore, he had his own duties to attend to first. It wasn't until the evening that he found himself with some free time.

He headed off to find Elizabeth's tent and ran into a morose Caleb. He forgot for a moment his urgency to see Elizabeth to embrace his friend. Lukas had been the only parental figure Caleb had left and now he was gone too. Perhaps it was better, he thought, that Elizabeth and Caleb had ridden to shore together. They had that time to mourn together.

"Something's horridly wrong with Elizabeth," Caleb said after a time.

"My father said something like that to me," Ben replied.

"It can't be her," Caleb added. "She's so sad and quiet. If she ever laughs again, it may be a miracle." Ben nodded.

"I need to see her," he said.

"Be careful with her," Caleb warned. "I'm afraid she may crumble or melt into the floor." Ben embraced his friend once more and rushed off to find Elizabeth.

He entered her tent cautiously but it didn't matter as she sat with her back to the entryway. It reminded him of the day of her mother's funeral but she didn't seem to be crying this time. He suspected that she stopped crying long ago.

Ben didn't know how to proceed so he simply sat next to her as he had all those years ago. But instead of leaning into him, she shrunk away and pulled her knees to her chest.

"I'm sorry about your father," he said softly. He instantly thought about how ridiculous a thing that was to say. Of course he was sorry but that sure wasn't going to bring him back.

"I'm sorry about Samuel," he heard her whisper. He was surprised to hear her speak but silently relished this small victory. It was short lived, however, as the uncomfortable silence returned. They sat in a prolonged state of unease until Ben could no longer take it.

"Please, Elizabeth, say something. Anything. Tell me you hate me if you must but say something." He saw a tear roll down her cheek and he reached up to wipe it away. She shrunk back once again and he cursed himself for being so forward.

"Why," she stammered out. "Why are you being so kind to me? You should hate me." Ben couldn't believe his ears. He should hate her? If anything she should despise him, in fact he feared that on some level she did.

"I could never hate you," he responded hoping she would look up and see the honesty in his eyes. She didn't though, so he continued. "You have been so brave and strong and I was the coward who ran. I should have stayed with you in Setauket and faced what was coming by your side. I should have..." He trailed off when she finally looked up at him.

"Following your heart is not cowardly," she said in a small voice.

"If I had followed my heart, I would have married you a long time ago." She once again returned her gaze to her feet. He noticed that any mention of them together made her uncomfortable. His heart broke as he thought of the possible reasons why. Only one seemed probable in his mind.

"If you no longer love me as I love you," he swallowed tears, "I will understand." Her head shot back up and when he saw, not guilt, but shock in her face, he felt the slightest bit comforted.

"Ben," she whispered fighting to get out the words she wanted to say. "Ben, I could never stop loving you. You have to know that."

"Then what is wrong?" he inquired.

"I don't deserve you," she replied almost inaudibly. "Or Caleb. Or anyone for that matter but least of all you." Ben felt as if he had just been kicked in the gut. How could she think such a thing?

"You deserve so much better than me," Ben said. Elizabeth pulled back into her shell and resumed her gaze at the ground.

"You do yourself an injustice, Major," she replied. He moved to say something in response when their exchange was interrupted.

"General Washington wishes to see you, Major Tallmadge," a younger soldier announced.

"Thank you," he said as he nodded to the young soldier. He looked at Elizabeth but her gaze was away from him and she looked as if her mind was a thousand miles from the camp. He stood up to follow the soldier but stopped a moment and turned to Elizabeth.

"If you are feeling up to it, I would be delighted to have you join me at dinner in the house," he offered and she nodded her acknowledgement. He knew it was a long shot but he wanted to try.


	16. Chapter 16

Elizabeth was sitting in her tent thinking about her exchange with Ben. She had acted like such a scared child and she knew that. She felt like she could've kicked herself for rejecting Ben so completely when it was clear he only wanted to help.

But she couldn't fight the nagging feeling that she had at the pit of her stomach. The feeling that she was a traitor and for him to love a traitor was simply inconceivable. She hoped that he would see her for what she was and would move on. It would silently kill her, she knew, but hopefully it would make a better match for Ben.

She saw the shadow of a man standing at the entrance of the tent suddenly cast beside her. She turned and saw the Reverend Tallmadge looking at her expectantly. She nodded for him to enter but couldn't muster any words.

He sat in the chair that had only minutes ago been occupied by his son.

"I take it by that look that Benjamin has already been here," he said to her. She nodded and instantly felt ashamed once again. "He's still hopelessly devoted to you."

"And I, him," she replied. "That's what's so wrong."

"Elizabeth, you can't possibly think that your marriage to Johnathan Brooks should or has negatively affected his view of you. Quite the opposite actually," the Reverend told her.

"Well, Ben always was a romantic," she said. The Reverend offered a chuckle.

"Aye, yes but so were you if I remember correctly," he added. Elizabeth cast her gaze to the ground. "Try to let him in," the Reverend implored as he stood up and left.

She made up her mind then to join Ben at dinner so she cleaned herself up, fixed her hair and left the tent.

Elizabeth entered the house carefully. She wasn't sure what to expect. It looked as if the men were just about to sit down to eat and when Ben saw her, he broke out into an astonished smile. Only to herself could she admit how much she had missed that smile.

"General Washington," Caleb spoke up, "this is my cousin, Elizabeth." Ben was grateful that Caleb had introduced her because he would not know how to refer to her.

"Ah, yes," Washington replied nodding to her, "the heroine of her people in Setauket so I have been told."

"Sir, I could hardly call it that," she declined but the Reverend spoke up.

"You have always been too modest, Elizabeth," he said. "Your actions saved the lives of many in that town." She looked away sheepishly.

_But not all of them_, she thought sadly.

Washington gestured for everyone to take their seats. Elizabeth took the empty seat next to Ben and across from Caleb. Though she couldn't admit it, having Ben so close calmed some of the turmoil she felt. She had noticed it earlier but had chosen to ignore it. Before Ben could say anything, dinner was being served.

Dinner was a fairly silent affair until afterward when the Commander spoke up.

"It's time to discuss my purpose here," he announced. Elizabeth felt Ben stiffen in his seat. "You see, I saw something interesting in all of this Setauket business. If we can inspire other citizens to rise up against the British occupation in their cities, we can weaken Howe's army. Officers will have to focus more on their own operations and less on our movements."

Many of the officers mumbled their agreement.

"And how, sir?" Ben asked.

"Patriotism," Elizabeth spoke up.

"Exactly," the Commander smiled brightly.

"What can we do, sir?" Caleb inquired.

"Well, I think right now, you are needed more on the front. In fact all of our officers and soldiers are going to be needed more than ever in the fighting. No, I think this kind of mission is more suited for someone else," he said looking rather expectantly at Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, sir?" Ben interjected.

"Will you all excuse us? I need to have a private word with Ms. Brewster, the Major and Lieutenant Brewster," Washington requested and the officers filed out of the room. All three noticed that he had addressed Elizabeth as if she hadn't been married but none made a move to correct him.

Once they were gone, Washington spoke again.

"I was much impressed with what you did in Setauket," he said.

"I did what I had to, sir," she replied.

"And I'm sorry for the loss that you and your cousin have suffered because of it," he added. Both Elizabeth and Caleb nodded in appreciation. "But nevertheless there is a war going on, one that I'm going to need all three of you to end."

"The three of us?" Elizabeth inquired.

"Yes," Washington responded. "In the morning, I need to return to Virginia and you two still have a mission to carry out." Elizabeth glanced curiously at both Ben and Caleb. "But Elizabeth, you possess something that no soldier can boast of. You have shown enormous strength in the face of adversity. Reminds me a bit of my Martha." He paused fondly. "That is why I need you with my wife in Mount Vernon. You two symbolize the strength of the everyday citizen; a beacon of hope, as it were, to inspire others to aspire to your bravery."

"If I may speak freely sir," Elizabeth began rather quietly, "I fail to see how my actions have been so worthy of a pedestal."

"Elizabeth," Ben breathed looking at her.

"I'm not worthy of any honor sir," she concluded.

"I see," Washington replied. "It's a shame I do not agree with you. Marrying a British officer to protect your father is, in my opinion very honorable. And offering to take his place at the noose is downright courageous. I'm not asking you to accept anyone's praise. I need you to continue to fight by showing others that they can. Show the people that they do not have to put up with this tyranny any longer. Talk of worth can wait until this is all over." Elizabeth didn't know that the Commander had knowledge of her marriage. In fact, there was a great deal she suspected that he knew about her.

"Very well, sir, I shall do as you ask," she accepted bowing slightly to him.

"Excellent," Washington smiled and then turned toward Ben and Caleb. "Your next mission is to escort Ms. Brewster and the rest of your refugees to Mount Vernon. There is a town not far from there where your friends can settle in neutral territory. I shall join you there for the Spring Party and we can discuss the Culpeper ring and your mission in more depth there."

All three patriots nodded and Washington moved to put on his hat as he left. He paused just a moment more to say, "I suggest you catch Ms. Brewster up on the Culpeper Ring as it may end up having some bearing on her as well. Good evening gentlemen and lady." They all nodded their respect and then found themselves alone.

"Imagine all five of us working together again!" Caleb remarked incredulously. Elizabeth continued to look confused.

"Five of us? You mean..." She trailed off deep in thought.

"For the past couple of months Abraham and Anna have been doing some mission work for us," Caleb explained. Elizabeth thought silently. Of course they hadn't asked her, she had married the enemy; she was a traitor.

"It was mostly Abraham but we needed Anna to signal us. The Strong house overlooks the harbor and I suspect Abraham needed a reason to see Anna," Ben said trying to explain. He could see the guilt in her eyes and he desperately wanted her to stop blaming herself. "That was how we started the Culpeper Ring."

"The Culpeper Ring?" Elizabeth asked.

"Washington's idea," Caleb answered. "Actually Woody's codename."

"Which brings us to this," Ben added pulling out a small worn book. He handed it to Elizabeth purposefully holding it so that when she took it, their hands touched. The light blush in her cheeks told him that she still felt the same sparks that he did. "It's all of our codes."

"Is this," Elizabeth started.

"Mine," he finished. "Yes, it's not of much use to me."

"Thank you," she said in a small voice. "For trusting me with this."

"Elizabeth, we trust you with everything," Caleb responded confused. He moved to place a hand on her shoulder but she took a step back away from him. Elizabeth looked at the ground. Ben finally couldn't take it any longer.

"Elizabeth, you must stop this. Nothing that you did was your fault and no one blames you for it; least of all us," Ben urged. "You have to believe us." Elizabeth finally let a few tears fall.

"I do," she said. "I promise I do."

"Then what's wrong?" Caleb asked. He wasn't originally going to get involved but this was his cousin they were talking to. Elizabeth took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"When I was married to Johnathan, I spent the first few months hating him and hating the whole British army for making me marry a man I could never care for. He was mean and he was violent. But after a while I started thinking that I had done this to myself. I had agreed to marry him. I mean, he may have threatened to hurt my father but I was the one who agreed," she reasoned.

"But you couldn't have said no," Ben offered. "They would have become suspicious and if he had killed your father…"

"I know that. Nevertheless it was my choice to make and with my father gone, it's like that year of torture was for nothing." She let that hang in the air. It was the thought that was plaguing her most since Simcoe had shot her father. It made sense to both men standing in the room as well that she would feel this way.

"But it wasn't for nothing," Ben finally said trying to get her to look at him, "because now we are together again and that wouldn't have happened if you had been arrested a year ago." For the first time, he saw her offer a small smile as she nodded. It was the shred of hope that he needed.


	17. Chapter 17

**I know it has been far too long since I updated... My laptop has been out of commission and I just got access to another computer. Here ya go! Reviews are encouraged and appreciated!**

* * *

They left early the next morning to head for Mount Vernon. Washington had left them several horses and provisions for the journey to combine with that which they already had. Elizabeth had been offered a mount but had refused. Ben wasn't sure if she was still feeling guilt for her marriage or not.

Ben shook the thought from his head and rode to the front of the pack. It was a long day of travel until they finally stopped for the night. Once everyone was settled, Ben made his way over to the tent set up for Elizabeth. Observing her throughout the day, he had come to the realization that she hadn't given up a mount out of guilt but rather so that some of the less fit among them could ride. She had done the same when offered a room in the house they had come to.

He entered slowly, wondering if she would pull away from him again. She was sitting on the ground rubbing her bare feet. She looked up when he entered and he could have sworn he saw her smile slightly. He sat down next to her as he had the day before.

"May I?" Ben asked gesturing to her feet. She looked a bit confused and surprised but shifted so that her feet rested in his lap and she was leaning back on her hands. He was surprised that she was allowing him to touch her at all but he wasn't going to say as much to her, instead he set to massaging her feet gently.

"I haven't walked this much in a while," she admitted quietly.

"It definitely takes some getting used to," he agreed still focusing on her feet. She nodded. There was a long period of silence between them but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as it had been the day before.

"Elizabeth," he said after a time, "when we get to Mount Vernon, there is going to be a big Spring Party. I was wondering if I might accompany you. I know our last big party didn't go quite as expected but I was hoping-"

"Yes," she cut him off swiftly presumably to answer before reason got the better of her. "I would like that." Ben smiled widely and stopped massaging her feet.

"That's amazing," he said honestly.

"But Ben," she said a bit quieter, "just as friends." All of the happiness he had just been feeling left him.

"Elizabeth," he whispered.

"Things cannot be as they were before," she offered as her defense. He still did not understand why. "Perhaps I could be your mistress one day but..." Ben became both horrified and confused.

"Mistress?" he inquired. "Is that what you think you are to me?" He knew it was an abrasive question but he was genuinely curious.

"No, but it's all I can offer you," she replied honestly. He wasn't sure he fully comprehended the meaning behind her words.

"We should get some sleep," he said. "Leave this kind of talk until tomorrow." She nodded as he got up to leave. "Good night, Elizabeth." _My Love_, he thought wistfully.

"Good Night Benjamin," she whispered back.


	18. Chapter 18

By the time they reached Mount Vernon, even the mounted soldiers were exhausted. Even after a long day of riding, Ben still couldn't shake the memory of Elizabeth offering to be his mistress. She meant so much more to him than that but regardless of how much they talked, she still persisted in rejecting any romantic notions.

The group split into two sections as the community members of Setauket, Ben, Caleb and a few officers headed down the road toward the town to settle them in their new homes. Elizabeth and some of the other officers had continued on the path to Washington's house.

Elizabeth was grateful when she saw the large white house in the distance. _My new home_, she thought. She was surprised that it didn't sting nearly as much as she had anticipated. She was greeted at the door by a beautiful woman with delicate blonde hair. She was directing some of the officers as to where they would be lodging. When Martha saw Elizabeth, she smiled widely.

"You must be Elizabeth," she said. "It's great to finally meet you. George was so excited about you." Elizabeth nodded and smiled as best she could. "Oh, you must be exhausted. Come, I'll show you to your room." Elizabeth followed Martha to a room on the second floor. It was small but significantly more spacious than the room in her home.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Elizabeth said though it lacked the happiness to be convincing. Martha looked at her concerned. She hugged her new friend catching Elizabeth off guard.

"Oh, you poor thing. You've been through so much," she offered. After a moment, Elizabeth hugged Martha back.

"I'm quite alright," she responded. "Just tired." Martha pulled back and smiled at her again.

"Of course," she said. "Get some sleep and I'll get the servants to start dinner. I left you some of my old dresses in the cabinet for you to change into." Then, she was gone.

Elizabeth decided to take Martha's advice and get some sleep. After changing onto one of the plainer gowns in the cabinet, she laid down on the large bed and immediately fell asleep. She woke up to a knock on the door. She quickly crawled out of the bed and ran a brush through her hair before opening the door. One of the officers was standing at the door.

"Dinner is ready ma'am," he said. She thanked him and begged only a moment so that she could pin up her hair.

When she got downstairs, Martha made a bee-line for her and practically dragged her to the seat next to her. Seated across the table were Ben and Caleb. Ben stole glances at Elizabeth throughout the entire meal. Occasionally he would catch her eye but she would always look away.

After dinner, Martha took Elizabeth's arm and they went for a walk outside.

"So you and your little soldier boy, want to tell me what that's about?" Martha asked. She figured that she needed to know her new friend since they were going to live together for a time. She also felt a bit motherly over the girl who was several years her junior.

"Ben?" Elizabeth was stunned momentarily. "Ben and I were… close once but it's not like it was before."

"I'm not sure I see that," Martha observed. "He still seems smitten with you. And I think the feeling is mutual."

"We were in love once, yes," Elizabeth answered. She was trying to be honest but wondered how she could possibly tell Martha everything when she wasn't even sure about everything herself.

"But?" Martha prodded.

"But, I was married off to a British officer."

"Who is dead, as I understand it," Martha added. Elizabeth nodded.

"Regardless, I don't deserve his love and he deserves far more than me," she explained.

"Perhaps that is true but if you are the girl he's in love with, he wants you. Doesn't he at least deserve what he wants?" Martha couldn't understand why Elizabeth was beating herself up. She suspected this Ben felt the same way.

"But I can't give him what he wants," Elizabeth admitted.

"If you love him, I think you can," Martha concluded as they reached the house once again. The two women bid each other good night and found their rooms. They agreed to meet back up the next day to get ready for the party.

Though she was exhausted, Elizabeth found sleep impossible. She just kept thinking about what Martha had said. She and Ben had been finding a way back to each other these past few days. She couldn't deny that being near him brought her more joy and happiness than she thought she could feel ever again.

But there were things in the way. Things he didn't even know about.

There was a soft knock on her door and she opened it to find Caleb.

"Can't sleep?" he asked. She shook her head. "Me either." She opened the door to let him in. "Have ya been sleeping at all?" Caleb asked her as they made their way over to sit on the edge of her bed. He took her hands in his.

"Honestly? No," she responded. "Too many nightmares." He was shocked by her admission.

"Nightmares?" he inquired. "I didn't know about that."

"How could you? I've gotten good at hiding it," she told him.

"So when you were married…" he trailed off.

"Not until about four months into it," she answered. Caleb looked at his hands.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. She reached up and gently touched his face causing him to look at her.

"Don't be. Like I told you and Ben, it was my choice."

"He's so worried about you," Caleb diverted. "We both are."

"I know and I'm sorry about that," Elizabeth said.

"Why would you be sorry?" Caleb had to ask.

"I fear I've been such a bother. You rescued me and I repaid it by cutting you out."

"Elizabeth, you went through so much," he said. "We understand. I'm just not sure why you keep fighting your feelings for ol' Benny Boy." He tried to smile at her but she suddenly looked so morose. "Don't say you don't deserve him because it's a lie and you know it," he quickly interjected.

"I do love him, Caleb, but I can't marry him," she answered.

"Why? You love him, he loves you, you're clearly not married anymore…"

"I'll make a terrible wife for him," she tried.

"That's ridiculous," he continued and she suddenly burst into tears. Caleb saw the door crack open but ignored it as he wrapped his arms around his cousin. "What is it?" he pleaded.

"Caleb, when I was married to Johnathan, something happened," she tried to get out. Caleb took both her hands in his and tried to get her to look at him. The determination in his eyes gave her the strength to let go of what had been weighing so heavily on her since being reunited with them. "I can't have children," she finally admitted. She continued to cry as she explained the reason why.

_Johnathan had come home particularly angry. Odds were he had lost a good deal betting against some of the other officers but Elizabeth really didn't want to know. She had been about four months pregnant and it was nearing the fall. She was due around November. Since the baby bump had appeared, Johnathan had been less likely to lay hands on her too much though her arms and face still suffered some bruising from time to time. _

_Today was different, though. He was furious and needed to take out his anger._

_He found her dusting in the parlor. When he entered, she ignored him and continued cleaning which angered him even further._

_"__I'm home," he grunted._

_"__Welcome back," she offered in greeting. He was enraged by her ignorance of him and shoved her into the bookshelf. "Johnathan," she warned. He only became more frustrated and tried to throw her into another wall. _

_Using the room he had just given her, she took off up the stairs. If she could lock herself in a room, she could wait him out._

_But she didn't make it to the top of the steps before a firm hand grasped her arm. He punched her square in the jaw before throwing her back down the stairs._

_She tumbled for what seemed like forever before she slammed face down into the ground. She immediately felt pain everywhere, especially her stomach. She screamed, unable to hold her tongue. One of the slaves came running in and seeing blood all over the floor and Elizabeth lying in it, ran to go get the doctor. _

_Johnathan, suddenly shocked by what he had done, ran to escape in his room. He hadn't been expecting that to happen and thinking about their likely dead child, he felt some remorse. _

_When the doctor arrived, he sent the slaves to clean up the blood and had them transfer Elizabeth to the downstairs guest bed. He examined her thoroughly and left her to get some rest. _

_The next morning he delivered the news. She had lost the baby and would likely never carry again. She started having nightmares every night after._

When she had finished her story, they both sat in silence.

"I should have told you sooner but I didn't know how," she admitted. "I still don't know how to tell Ben." Caleb looked rather guiltily at her. "What?" she asked

"Ben," Caleb said aloud, "Would you like to join us?" Elizabeth was momentarily rendered speechless as a red faced Ben pushed the door the rest of the way open.

As Ben entered, Caleb took his leave saying he would see both of them in the morning he kissed Elizabeth on the cheek and looked her square in the eye. She could read his expression; he wanted her to open up to Ben.

"I'm sorry," Ben said once the door closed. He sat down where Caleb had just been. "I heard voices and was just trying to see who was up. But then I heard you talking to Caleb and-"

"It's okay," she whispered cutting him off. "I'm glad you heard it because now you know why we can't do this." Ben looked incredulously at her. He reached up and caressed the side of her face.

"This doesn't mean anything," he insisted. "I want to marry you." Elizabeth started to cry once more.

"But Ben, a good wife gives her husband children along with everything else. There are so many women who would make better wives because of that."

"I would rather have you than twenty children," he answered without hesitation. "Elizabeth, I love you no matter what has happened or will happen. It's always been you. Please… please think about it," he implored. He took her face in his hands wiping away the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs. Then he acted purely on impulse and kissed her.

For the first time in almost two years he felt the familiar euphoria and was delighted when she kissed him back. It was a short kiss as Ben didn't want to push her. He kissed her forehead too and left her alone with her thoughts.

She sat for a time on the bed remembering the feeling of Ben's lips on hers. She began to think about what had happened. She started to realize that maybe being with Ben wasn't such a crime. She wondered if they loved each other, why she was fighting it still. He knew everything now and still wanted no one but her.

She suddenly knew her answer but would wait until the party to deliver it. In the meantime, she crawled back into bed and for the first time in a while, fell right to sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Caleb was waiting outside Elizabeth's room. He figured Ben would surface at some point and he had reached the point where he could no longer ignore how sad Elizabeth was. Caleb missed Lukas too but this ran far deeper.

He didn't need to wait long as Ben left the room only a few minutes later. When Ben saw Caleb, his cheeks flushed and he looked at his friend curiously.

"You weren't listening?" Ben asked almost too cautiously.

"No," Caleb responded. "What's going on between you and my cousin is between the two of you. But I just wanted to know if there is anything we can do." Ben nodded and then indicated for Caleb to walk with him away from Elizabeth's door.

"How did you do that?" Ben asked Caleb.

"Do what?" Caleb returned.

"Get her to open up like that," Ben answered and paused. "My father was right." Caleb raised an eyebrow at Ben.

"Right about what?"

"My father said that she wouldn't be the same as when we left and I knew that seeing her but he also said the only way we could help her was by being patient and helping her together," Ben told him.

"Well, he wasn't wrong," Caleb observed. "So what are ya going to do?" Ben blushed a little.

"I was worried it may be going too far and would scare her away…" he thought aloud. He pulled out a small box he had been concealing. When they were in Setauket he had made a quick visit to his childhood home to retrieve something special.

_A few weeks after his mother had died, his father had given him the wedding ring that his mother had worn. _

_"__Give it to the right person," his father had advised._

_"__I don't know if that will ever happen," Ben had answered. _

_"__I think maybe it already has," the Reverend said. Ben pondered what he said. "Be patient," was his father's advice. _

He hadn't made the connection immediately but he knew that if he was going to propose to Elizabeth, it was going to be with his mother's ring.

"Oh, Benny Boy, it's perfect," Caleb laughed.

"It was my mother's," Ben added.

"She will love it," Caleb assured his friend.

"Do you think she's ready?" Ben asked. He had worried so much about what her response would be.

"I think only you can know that," Caleb said sounding rather philosophical. Ben nodded in agreement.


	20. Chapter 20

Elizabeth woke up naturally and fully rested. She didn't have nightmares and she didn't wake up in the middle of the night. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept like that.

There was a knock at her door and she opened it to find Martha beaming at her.

"My, you look happy this morning!" she noted cheerfully.

"I slept well," Elizabeth answered.

"I'm sure camping must have made sleep impossible," Martha said. "Anyway, I came because we need to get you a dress for the party." Normally, Elizabeth would refuse but aside from the dresses Martha had set aside for her in the cabinet she didn't have anything to wear. So she nodded and followed Martha to her room.

Martha had beautiful gowns in every color Elizabeth could imagine. She looked through all of them until one caught her eye. It was a deep blue gown; the giant ball gown she had always wanted to wear with an enormous skirt. The color was a near perfect match to that of Ben's coat. When she put it on, the sleeves hung off her shoulders leaving them bare.

"A perfect Patriot's dress," Martha smiled. Elizabeth nodded and twirled a little. "I'll have my house maid hang it in your room."

Elizabeth got ready for the party alone. She didn't like not having Anna around but she knew Anna was where she needed to be. When she left her room, Martha was waiting for her.

"Shall we?" Martha asked. Elizabeth nodded. She took Martha's arm and proceeded down the stairs.

She saw Ben first. He was standing talking to General Washington and the Reverend. She couldn't help but notice how splendid he looked in his uniform all pressed for the party. When he caught sight of her, he seemed to stop midsentence. This did not go unnoticed by Washington who turned to see what had caught Ben's attention. Seeing his wife and Elizabeth, he chuckled and smiled.

"You always know how to make an entrance," he said to his wife as he kissed her on the cheek. "I do hope you don't end up being a bad influence on Ms. Brewster."

"You underestimate me, George," Martha replied laughing. "I'm going to be a horrid influence on her."

Ben missed most of their exchange because he was too focused on Elizabeth. Something had changed in her demeanor and she looked happy; or at least happier than he had seen her in a long time. She also looked beautiful and he silently hoped that she had chosen her dress specifically to match his uniform.

Caleb came over to them and hugged his cousin.

"You look amazing," he said picking her up and spinning her around. She giggled a little which caused Caleb and Ben some surprise.

"Doesn't she?" Martha beamed. She squeezed the arm of her husband and urged him to go mingle with her.

"Please enjoy the party," Washington said gesturing for them to join the festivities.

Throughout the evening, Elizabeth was often stopped by the women of the nearby town and complimented on her dress. She smiled and nodded her thanks and sometimes even stopped to chat. She found the conversations comforting as they weren't much different than the ones she would be privy to at home.

Ben and Caleb also introduced her to many of their officer friends. They made sure to have her meet General Scott who was rather intrigued that a woman had known of his camp at Frog's Point over a year ago and the British officers remained unaware.

"Men don't often think about what they say in a woman's presence," she answered making all of the men laugh uncomfortably. "And they never imagine that we know anything they don't." Caleb and Ben exchanged a look both noting that this was the first they had seen of the Elizabeth they had grown up with.

"That would explain my Martha," Washington laughed. The officers nodded and the party went on.

Sometime later, Ben found Elizabeth standing alone. She seemed to be silently observing the festivities although she didn't look sad about it.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked thankful for a reason to get her alone.

"And leave this party?" she asked making him regret asking. He worried that she really didn't want to leave until she began to laugh holding out her hand. "Yes, please." She added. He took her hand and was relieved not only that she wanted to go with him but also that this was the Elizabeth he had known all his life returned to him again in one form or another.

They walked arm in arm in the meadow next to the house.

"How's the party?" Ben asked once they were a decent distance from the house.

"Overwhelming, I haven't been in a room with that many people since the Summer Ball a year and a half ago."

"Nor have I," he agreed. "We don't often take the time to have parties on the front."

"Do you miss the fighting?" she asked.

"No," he answered truthfully. "But I don't mind it, not if it means I can fight for our freedom." Elizabeth nodded silently. Ben stopped walking and looked at her. He used his hand to tilt he head up so he could look her in the eyes. She didn't really look sad but there was some contemplation in her face. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"This war. I'm worried about what will be left when it's over," she said honestly.

"I worry about that too sometimes," Ben admitted. "But then I think about what it would be like if we hadn't chosen to fight. We are ready to be our own country and if we spend much longer under British control, it could get a lot worse." Elizabeth nodded again.

"I just hope it ends soon. Everyone has lost so much already," she said.

"Me too," he said and they resumed their walk. Elizabeth found herself leaning into Ben as they walked.

The two of them found their way to an outcrop of trees. Elizabeth was unsure if they should head back or not but she really didn't want her alone time with Ben to end.

"Elizabeth," he said causing her to look at him. "I have a confession to make. I didn't just bring you out here to get away from the party." He could tell by the look on her face that Elizabeth didn't understand his meaning.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well," he began getting nervous, an emotion he didn't often feel around Elizabeth. "I talked to Caleb about this because I knew he's about the closest I can get to talking to your father."

Realization flooded into her eyes and he pulled out the small brown box causing Elizabeth to gasp. She covered her mouth with her hands and Ben couldn't tell if she was smiling or not.

"I know you have been through so much in the last year and a half and maybe this is too soon but we have known each other since we were eight years old. You know me better than anyone including my father and my," he paused, "and Sam. In all of my life there has only ever been you. And I know my leaving was hard and it made everything so much more complicated, but I love you. All of you. Everything about you. Elizabeth, will you marry me?" She paused just long enough to catch her breath but it felt like an eternity to Ben.

"You're sure?" she asked offering him a way out.

"More than I was about joining the Continentals."

"Then yes, Ben. Yes," she replied. He took her into his arms and swung her around. He kissed her as soundly as he could though he was shaking terribly.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she replied without a hesitation. He took his mother's ring out of the box and gently slid it on to her finger. He kissed her again and hugged her to him. "We should go tell your father and Caleb," she said. He nodded and then kissed her one last time. They headed back to the house at a significantly faster pace than the one they had taken away from it hand in hand.

Caleb knew what had happened as soon as they returned. He actually knew when he saw them leave but it wasn't until they both returned beaming that he was sure. Elizabeth walked right up and hugged him when she saw him.

"You said yes, then," Caleb asked her though he hardly needed to. Elizabeth nodded smiling. "I'm so happy for the both of ya!" he exclaimed embracing Ben.

"Happy about what?" Reverend Tallmadge asked approaching them. He immediately took note of the brightness in Elizabeth's demeanor.

"Father," Ben started. "I, um, asked Elizabeth to marry me." He held up his hand that was holding Elizabeth's; the one with the ring on it. "She accepted."

"It's about time," the Reverend said startling both Elizabeth and Ben. "Come here," he added moving to embrace his son and then Elizabeth. General Washington too joined their group.

"And what is this?" he asked soundly oddly intrigued.

"We're engaged, sir," Ben replied sheepishly.

"And when is the happy occasion?" he inquired. Ben and Elizabeth suddenly looked at each other. Neither had even begun to think that far. It could be years before they saw each other again. Washington suddenly softened into a light smile and chuckled. "Reverend Tallmadge, seeing as we must leave in two days' time, might I ask if you have tomorrow open to, perhaps, officiate a wedding?" Everyone looked taken aback for a moment except the Reverend.

"I think I could set some time aside," he said knowingly as he turned to look at his son. Ben looked to Elizabeth who had recovered and was smiling. She looked at him and nodded without any hesitation.

"Yes, sir," he said. "Thank you, sir." He shook hands with the general and then his father who pulled him in for a proper hug. Elizabeth curtsied to the General and then hugged Reverend Tallmadge again. By that time the party had wound down and everyone was leaving. Martha made an excuse that she was getting rather tired and begged that her and Elizabeth needed to rest for the events that were to unfold the next day. Ben turned and kissed his fiancé.

"Tomorrow?" he whispered only to her.

"Tomorrow," she silently agreed.


	21. Chapter 21

Martha knocked on her door early the next morning. Elizabeth had already been up for a few hours and rose quickly to open the door.

"My dear," Martha sighed when she saw her. "Did you sleep at all?"

"A little," Elizabeth admitted.

"Pre wedding jitters," Martha concluded as she entered the room. Elizabeth didn't really want to admit that she had awoken early from a nightmare and it had not permitted her to return to her slumber. Elizabeth had so hoped that her nightmares would leave her now that she was safe and with Ben again but this one had been different.

_In this one, she saw Johnathan Brooks as she did every night. But this night he held a gun, not to her but to Ben. She screamed as he fell just in front of her. _

_"__This can never be," Johnathan sneered in the dream and she woke up with a start._

"Come now," Martha said motioning for her to follow. "Get dressed. I have a friend who can help us today." Elizabeth pondered what this could mean but she dressed and followed Martha out to the nearby town.

They came to a small shop and the woman who owned it, upon seeing Martha, opened the door immediately. She looked to be about Martha's age though she stood about a foot taller.

"Clara, my dear friend, we need a dress. But not just any dress, a wedding dress fit for a princess," Martha explained. Elizabeth opened her mouth to insist that she didn't need anything elaborate and that she could marry Ben in any of the dresses Martha had given her but Martha wouldn't have it.

The woman named Clara looked through several different rows of dresses before she found one she was satisfied with presenting to Martha and her guest. Elizabeth gathered that Martha held a fair amount of influence in the town.

It shimmered as Clara brought it forward. The sleeves and bodice were silk but the skirt was bright white tulle.

"It's beautiful," Elizabeth breathed.

"Perfect," Martha said to Clara. "Please have it sent to the house." Clara nodded earnestly and Martha left the room with Elizabeth in tow.

"You needn't make all of this fuss over me," Elizabeth tried to reason with Martha.

"You speak nonsense!" Martha exclaimed. "Major Tallmadge is an honored officer and you are a jewel of the revolution. Your union is just as important to the cause as it is to the two of you." Elizabeth hadn't thought of that. "Now come on, there is much to do before this evening."

Martha spent the rest of the afternoon helping Elizabeth prepare for her wedding. She wrapped the girl's long hair in damp rags so as to curl her beautiful hair. Once her hair had dried, she brushed through it and pinned it high on her head.

"I wish I could see him," Elizabeth noted.

"Would you like me to send him a message?" Martha offered. Elizabeth looked at her in surprise.

"Could you do that?" she asked.

"Of course," Martha assured her tucking more of Elizabeth's hair up.

"Just make sure he still wants this," Elizabeth pleaded.

"My dear, he asked you. Surely you do not think he would back out."

"No he wouldn't," she agreed. "But I cannot marry him if he has any doubts." Elizabeth's words troubled Martha but she agreed and set out to the village to see the Tallmadge boy.

She knocked on the door to the house where the Reverend had moved into. The Reverend opened the door and smiled at Martha. He moved to allow her entrance into the house where Caleb and Ben were. Ben was pacing back and forth and looked very pensive.

"How is she?" he asked when he saw her.

"Good," Martha assured him. "She just wanted me to see you, as she cannot. She wanted to be absolutely sure that you loved her undoubtedly and that you had no reservations."

"No! I have none at all," Ben insisted. "You must tell her that." Martha smiled.

"I will be happy to," she replied.

"Thank you," he said breathing a sigh of relief. Martha turned to leave. "Wait," Ben added suddenly. "Give her this." He handed her a rose; one rose. It reminded Caleb of the bush that had been outside the Brewster home. Martha took the flower and headed back to deliver it to Elizabeth.

The young woman brightened up as soon as she saw it.

"He really loves you," Martha said. Elizabeth nodded.

"I know," she replied.

"Now let's get ready for a wedding!" Martha exclaimed excitedly.

Caleb was standing outside of the chapel waiting for Elizabeth to arrive. He and Ben had decided that since Lukas was gone, he should be the one to give Elizabeth way. Both young men had wondered what her first wedding had been like but the Reverend had told them not to ask. He gave as few details as possible and Caleb and Ben got the idea that it was not a happy affair.

He smiled widely when he saw her. She was a vision in her shimmering white gown. Martha was escorting her over and they both looked exceptionally happy. Caleb silently thanked God that Elizabeth had finally found joy again.

"Now don't you look amazing!" he exclaimed once the women had reached the church.

"Thank you, Caleb," Elizabeth replied. He offered his arm to the bride.

"Shall we?" Caleb asked. "Finally?" Elizabeth chuckled lightly.

"I've kept him waiting long enough."

They opened the doors to the church together. The first person Elizabeth saw was the Reverend. He stood straight in front of her and was smiling fondly. She saw Washington next. She was quite startled to see the great General at her humble wedding but she knew that a lot of things had changed in just a few short days.

When she had gotten about halfway down the aisle, she could finally see Ben. Their eyes met and for just a moment, time stood still for both of them. Elizabeth could see that there were no reservations in his eyes and when he saw that she carried with her the rose he had sent her, he smiled impossibly wider.

Caleb squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek once they were standing in front of the Reverend. He hugged his friend and moved so that Ben could stand with his rather recent fiancé.

Elizabeth didn't hear a single word the Reverend said throughout the whole ceremony. She knew what to say and when purely because she had done it before and seen it done as well. Instead, she spent the entire time staring at Ben. After a year and a half apart, she had nearly given up any hope that she had about a future with Ben. She had resigned herself to believing that she wasn't any good for him but here he was gazing intently at her and she was overwhelmed by the love she could see in his face.

She heard the Reverend tell Ben to kiss her and she suddenly realized her lack of attentiveness to the ceremony. But none of that mattered as Ben took her face in his hands and kissed her strongly. She felt as if she might melt as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

"I now present to you all, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Tallmadge," the Reverend announced. Elizabeth could hardly stand the warm feeling that swelled in her chest. Elizabeth and Ben broke apart and smiled at each other.

"I love you," Ben whispered only to her.

"I love you, too," Elizabeth replied with her whole heart.

Ben spent that whole night proving just how much he loved her and she fell asleep on his chest with his arms wrapped around her. When the morning came, they made love one last time and he dressed to head out with the troops.

"Come back safely," she told him as he started out the door with Caleb. "Both of you." The two men turned and embraced Elizabeth firmly before leaving to complete the mission they had been detouring from. They felt far better, however, this time because they knew she was safer from enemy hands here than she was the last time they left. Ben looked down at his left hand where the proof of the last twenty four hours glimmered in the sunlight. He said a silent prayer thanking God that he finally had Elizabeth back; for good this time.

* * *

**So that's the end! Please let me know what you think. I have ideas for a sequel but I haven't fleshed them out quite yet. This was just something I wanted to do since the next season doesn't start until April 13th. Just let me know if you think I should write a sequel and what you thought overall.**


	22. Chapter 22

_My dearest Elizabeth,_

_We've finally arrived at our destination though I cannot say that I am entirely pleased. It seems that as the days go by, there is more and more unrest in the camp. Many are beginning to doubt Washington and even go as far as to call for his removal as our Commander and Chief. To add to all of it, Washington refuses to defend himself. I have pleaded with him but he still will not speak a work in his defense. I wish that I could understand. In truth, I suppose I am concerned because I believe in him so much. Washington is everything I wanted to be when I joined the Continentals._

_I miss you terribly. Especially now as I fear the aftermath of our actions in Setauket have taken their toll on Caleb. He talks often of leaving the Continentals and going off on his own. I know that his heart is still in the cause but he misses Lukas as I'm sure you do as well._

_Please tell my father that I miss him. I anxiously await the day when I can see you again._

_With all my love,_

_Benjamin_

* * *

_My dear Benjamin,_

_Though I know that you are unlikely to listen to me, I urge you not to worry too much about Washington. I know it troubles you greatly that he faces such opposition, but he is a man of both great stature and great intelligence. He will be just fine._

_As for Caleb, too often he blames himself for things that could not be helped. I fear that is what he is doing now. You two share a bond only brothers can understand and he would never desert you nor would he abandon the cause. He will come around, that I can promise to you._

_Your father wishes you and Caleb well and hopes that you will remain as safe as you can be. His only wish for the two of you is that you return safely, a sentiment I also share. Words cannot describe how much I truly miss you. I remain entirely yours._

_With all the love that I possess,_

_Elizabeth_

* * *

Elizabeth set down her quill and reread her letter. She wished that she could write more; tell him how she was doing in her new environment, tell him about Martha and how she had become like a mother to her in a few short weeks, maybe even tell him about how she spent so many evenings at his father's house because it was the only thing she had left that reminded her of how things used to be.

But she didn't have the time. Martha intended to set out in a few hours toward a destination she had yet to disclose to Elizabeth. She had called it a "morale trip" saying it was part of what Washington had wanted of them but Elizabeth couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She delicately folded the letter and sealed it with the wax she had on the desk. Taking the letter and gathering her things, she then quickly descended the stairs to where Martha was waiting.

"All packed?" she asked, far more cheerful than Elizabeth felt.

"Of course," Elizabeth replied, hoping Martha would not notice her reluctant spirit. If she had, she said nothing as she hastily went out to get in the carriage. Elizabeth followed only a moment behind. She handed her letter to the dispatch rider who was setting out around the same time and then climbed into the carriage.

* * *

**So yeah, I'm back. Now that TURN has come back, so has my obsession with both the show and Seth Numrich/Ben Tallmadge. I am going to write a sequel though the next week is my busy one. I just wanted to get this out to everyone so they knew I was going to do it. If you have any suggestions, plot bunnies or anything else, feel free to comment or message me. I have so hair-brained ideas but will definitely welcome the help. I can't say I'm entirely certain when I will get the first official chapter (or I guess the next one) out but it will be fairly soon. Until next time...**


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